Evangelion: 1.01

A partial remake of the Neon Genesis Evangelion television series, Evangelion: 1.01's setting and storyline will be familiar to fans. In a post-apocalyptic future an apathetic young man is recruited by a vaguely nefarious quasi-governmental organization to pilot a series of supersized robots used in the fight against hostile alien invaders, known ironically as Angels. Covering the same material as the first six episodes of the 1995–96 TV production (with some of the animation from the earlier effort), much of the fun here comes from watching the young hero, Shinji Ikari, operate the complex Evangelion robot in battle against enemy forces. The film's mix of CGI effects with traditional animation creates a visually complex style, and it benefits from a subplot involving the enigmatic Rei Ayanami, an Evangelion pilot whose beauty and mysterious behavior help to distract Shinji when there are no aliens to defeat. Without giving away too much, keep an eye out for the startling appearance of Lilith—the so-called Second Angel—in an extraordinary sequence that confirms this well-worn vehicle can still generate plenty of excitement. Presented on a dual-language disc, rated PG-13, this is highly recommended. Aud: P. (P. Hall)