Rebuild of Evangelion: 3.33 (2012)

Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo (2012)

Dirs. Hideaki Anno / Mahiro Maeda / Kazuya Tsurumaki

Parts 1.11 and 2.22 stayed recognisably close to the original NGE TV Series plot, but part 3.33 spirals off to places new. There are big changes and most of them aren't good.

Firstly, none of what's teased in 2.22's post-credit preview is actually in the third film. Instead, it's set a significant number of years after, which could be as jarring for the viewer as it is for one of the characters.

In retrospect, it's helpful to accept that what was teased did actually happen, albeit offscreen. Mercifully, the implied level of 'fan service' is largely absent, besides some cheap low angle female pudenda shots.

A dramatic space-set action scene opens proceedings, and is quickly followed by some tedious Anno dialogue; as someone who prefers to watch anime subbed, it felt more pronounced than it might otherwise have seemed.

A new character, who wants to go "double entry" with Shinji, seems like he might offset the troubled protagonist's angst in a positive way, but the newbie is woefully underdeveloped and comes across too often as little more than a plot convenience. It's a wasted opportunity.

One positive of the drastic change is that it's instrumental in opening Shinji's eyes to the enormity of his actions on the world around him; i.e., the missing years between 2.22 and 3.33.

At one point an aged character reflects on how 'breaking the world is easy, but rebuilding it is another matter', which seems like a commentary on the Evangelion creative process itself.

At various times the pacing of the story feels like it's either dragging its heels or being awkwardly rushed towards an ending, which, sadly, is a weak cliffhanger.

A PhD in Jewish mysticism may add additional layers of understanding to the happenings. Those of us who don't have such a thing will perhaps need to adopt a forgiving disposition in order to enjoy it. Having said that, I found a second viewing some years later to be more enjoyable.

- Alternatively -

There's a special kind of merit in shaking things up, lest they become stale, but there's a difference between shaking a thing and spilling your shit all over the floor in a gobshite panic. It seems as if Hideaki Anno's belated and protracted attempt at fixing his great work is coming apart at the seams yet again; at least he's consistent in something.∼