Introduction: -
Love, Death, and Robots
is as well-written as it is beautiful. This fascinating anthology series, which
spans 18 episodes and features a wide spectrum of animation inspirations, is
one of Netflix's most surprise offers. Despite the profanity and nudity,
there's something very unique here, all wrapped up in one of the best
animations I've seen in a long time. Love, Death & Robots is one of the
most bizarre shows of the year, seamlessly mixing multiple distinct art styles
with totally different bite-size episodes.
In many respects, Love,
Death & Robots reminds me of a collection of science fiction short stories.
I've read quite a few of these in my lifetime, and there are some striking
parallels between literature and media mediums. Every episode has its own
twist, theme, writing style, and aesthetic, making each one distinct and
unpredictable. These stories, more often than not, have a tidy little twist at
the conclusion or end on a thought-provoking note. Some of the hooks here are
extremely good indeed, whether it's Sonnie's Edge and its accompanying double
twist or the terrifying end of Beyond the Aquila Rift.
Summery: -
Personally, I preferred
the more realistic animation and grounded storytelling, but your favorite
episodes will vary depending on your preferences, which is part of why this
anthology works so well. The Witness follows in the footsteps of Into the
Spiderverse, combining comic book influences with realistic animation. When The
Yogurt Took Over makes use of the ridiculousness of its own plot to depict
characters with crisp, square edges reminiscent to Up. On the other hand, the
adrenaline-pumping Blind spot employs a more traditional Anime aesthetic, while
Three Robots, a surprisingly well-written 15-minute episode, features a
wonderful twist towards the end.
There are reoccurring
motifs here as well, which help to connect everything together. The future of
humanity, our own demise, and our interaction with space and other species are
all discussed in depth here. It's a wonderful concept, and it's never preachy
or overbearing throughout the series. The duration of each episode also helps,
with the longest clocking in around 16 minutes and the Alternate Histories
episode at roughly 5 minutes. While the short length helps to keep things
moving along, the quality on offer here is such that some of the more
appealing, longer episodes might potentially be converted into their own
blockbusters.
Despite accomplishing a
lot of things well, Love, Death, and Robots has a lot of cursing and nudity.
While profanity is appropriate in certain stories, it seems out of place in
others. Another issue is the nudity, with some episodes consisting of excessive
exposure. The most prominent examples are When The Yogurt Took Over and
Alternate Histories, which are notable for their distinct graphic styles.
Conclusion: -
Love, Death & Robots
is a powerful blend of artistic influences and well-written short stories, all
wrapped up in an 18-episode series that is both captivating and cohesive. This
series does a fantastic job of showing some of the world's most skilled
animators and authors. While a few episodes are disappointing, the beauty of an
anthology like this is that there is something for everyone. Love, Death &
Robots is a stunning, frightening, and varied anthology that is definitely one
of the year's biggest shocks.
0 Comments