Not using spoiler tags because
I liked the ride of the last two films a lot and I stopped caring about the story with Q/3.33. After that long mess of a production I was content taking the mech porn and having the characters get an happy send off, no matter how fan servicey and incoherent that was. In retrospect I wish they didn't wait two films to get bonkers with it, I think starting with Q those Rebuilds got a massive visual upgrade (+ the use of music). I didn't like every action scene in Thrice but it was pretty cool to have a movie adaptation of shmup games ! And it's very low hanging fruit but it's hard not to find Rei Q human education be cute.
That said... A monument to excess, self indulgence and futility. It's vapid, shallow and mostly a superfluous rehash of NGE / EoE. One that beyond some epic scenes, iconography and overwhelming feverish apocalyptic visions falls often short even as a derivative. I was invested because of my now decades long attachment to the whole oeuvre but the story killed any stakes of its own by burying itself in esoteric nonsense. Thought the Gendo confrontation was particularly hollow (despite the cool visual conceit or revisiting all the stages of NGE), Shinji basically Judo-mindfucks him in 10mn after the man spent several decades crafting an insane master plan (that robs everyone of their agency, another issue) entrenched in the conviction of his own self righteousness.
And while the thing is basically a farewell tour, I'm not sure anyone but Shinji (and... huh, Mari I guess ?) really got a very satisfying epilogue. Especially Asuka, but that's probably the bias in me talking. Characteristally, the film devoted time to her yet missed the mark or didn't give her a lot to say or do (same for Misato and many others).
So... I like it, but it sucks ?
Poll
