TLDR;
In this commentary, the content creator reflects on their extensive review of "Digimon: The Movie," discussing the experimental nature of the review, the villain character, and the challenges of covering the entire movie due to its format of splicing three movies into one. They address criticisms received, particularly regarding the length of the review and comparisons to other reviewers like Linkara. The creator also shares insights into the technical aspects of editing the video using iMovie 2008 and the difficulties encountered due to the program's limitations.
- The review was an experiment in narrative and comprehensive coverage.
- The villain character was a spur-of-the-moment creation.
- The movie review was controversial due to negative opinions on a childhood favorite.
- Technical challenges were faced during editing with outdated software.
- The creator defends the length and format of the review.
Intro [0:00]
The content creator explains that they are doing a commentary track on their "Digimon: The Movie" review because they haven't had time to watch the movie they were planning to review and haven't been feeling well. They mention that the "Digimon: The Movie" review is their longest video review to date and possibly the one that garnered the most attention. The villain costume used in the video was made from a bathrobe, fleece blanket, and adhesive putty, representing a cheap, spur-of-the-moment creation. The creator was experimenting with creating a running narrative between reviews through this villain character.
Addressing Criticism and Intentions [0:46]
The content creator addresses comments suggesting they were trying to overshadow Jo's Digimon reviews, clarifying that their choice of videos is unscientific and based on personal interest rather than competition. They apologize if anyone felt they were stealing Jo's thunder, emphasizing that it was not their intention. The creator expresses surprise that people enjoyed the villain character, admitting they could have done more with it. They acknowledge that the review may have upset some viewers due to its negative take on a movie many enjoyed in their childhood.
Movie Memories and Intro Raps [2:41]
The content creator discusses how the American version of "Digimon: The Movie" messes with their memories of the original series, which they consider one of their favorite kids' anime. They mention purchasing a DVD of the movie specifically for the review, despite already owning the VHS version. The creator expresses confusion over why American studios like Saban felt the need to modernize shows with rap intros, finding it unnecessary and off-putting. They were pleased with the positive response to a joke they made in the review, especially given the low-budget editing software they use (iMovie 2008).
Review Length and Format [6:09]
The content creator addresses criticism for doing a full movie review that exceeded 40 minutes, questioning why people are averse to longer videos. They explain that they usually provide a brief synopsis, character overview, and discuss gameplay and backgrounds in their reviews. However, for "Digimon: The Movie," they wanted to test their ability to cover the entire film, which is essentially three movies in one. They are happy with how the review turned out but wish they had been more concise. The creator prefers to speak off the cuff rather than using a script, as it feels more natural and allows them to express immediate thoughts and emotions.
Comparisons to Other Reviewers and Movie Structure [8:22]
The content creator addresses a commenter who accused them of ripping off Linkara by having a villain in continuity with their review, questioning when Linkara copyrighted that concept. They express frustration with smaller reviewers being constantly compared to larger ones. The creator credits the first two parts of the movie for not suffering much in translation but notes that the third part had many flaws and edits. They describe the animation in the third part as reminiscent of Studio Gonzo when they give up. The villain bit was done to create a continuity gap between locations, as the creator was traveling home for a weekend.
Japanese Versions and Plot Holes [11:23]
The content creator recommends watching the Japanese versions of the movies for comparison, especially if viewers have only seen the American version. They did this review after re-watching the three Japanese movies in their original state. The creator was bothered by the arbitrary changes made to the end of Adventure, such as Jenai's ability to contact them. A fan informed them that Japanese drama CDs released after Adventure ended provided a slight explanation, but these CDs were never translated into English. The creator finds it unrealistic that only one Digimon survived a powerful blast.
Inner Child and Character Treatment [14:51]
The content creator discusses their inner child's reaction to re-watching the movie, noting how heartbreaking it was to see its flaws. They admit to nitpicking everything due to their critical examination of media. The creator expresses disappointment with how many characters were sidelined in the movie, particularly Joe, Sora, and Mimi. While acknowledging the time constraints due to the movie being based on a 40-minute mini-movie, they still feel cheated by the lack of character inclusion. They are grateful that at least Tai, Matt, TK, and Kari had relatively important roles.
Jeff Nimoy and Movie Producers [18:00]
The content creator defends the movie a little bit by talking about Jeff Nimoy, who they describe as a good guy. Nimoy wanted to include the first and second movies in their entirety, but the producers are to blame for splicing in the third movie and adding the subplot with Willis. The creator notes that the parts where Willis is mentioned in the first and second movies are where it's most obvious that the movies were spliced together. The third part is where things fall apart, and the amount of plot holes and contrivances could have stretched into another arc of Adventure 02.
Willis and Translation Issues [19:50]
The content creator expresses a problem with Willis, as the movie tells a few things about him but doesn't introduce him until the third part, making him an incidental character. They wanted a story about the original DigiDestined but instead got a plot with Willis, which is only part of the Japanese versions. The third part suffered the most in translation because it was the closest to a theatrical release in Japan, leading to significant cuts to fit the time limit. The creator laments that Yolei and Cody didn't get to contact the older kids and didn't get any screen time.
Character Handling and Animation [22:24]
The content creator expresses disappointment with how the characters were handled, noting that the editing in the third segment is clumsy. The focus on Willis, despite the other characters needing more development, was a missed opportunity. The movie had a bigger budget than the show, but some of the animation clashes with the rest of the movie. The animation is inconsistent across all three movies, reminiscent of Studio Gonzo shows where the first half is well-done, but the second half is sloppy.
Character Utilization and Emotional Scenes [24:00]
The content creator notes the jarring change from Adventure to Adventure 02 and criticizes the lack of character utilization. Yolei and Cody are basically along for the ride, while the focus is on Davis and Willis. This was a missed opportunity to develop Yolei and Cody, who were underdeveloped in 02. Even in the original Japanese version, they have very small parts. TK and Kari are in the first part but don't reappear until the end, becoming deus ex machina. The emotional scene with Willis and Davis felt forced.
Davis and Movie's Focus [26:01]
The content creator shares that Davis gets front and center stage next to Willis in the last part of the movie. The season two kids are given top billing on the DVD cover, even though the first half of the movie focuses on the kids from Adventure. The creator reiterates their frustration with the movie and how much it bothers them. They can re-watch the first three seasons of Digimon and feel fantastic, but they cannot re-watch this movie without thinking of how much it gets wrong.
Flat Characters and Climax [28:37]
The content creator explains that the purpose of the review was to confront their "Davis demon" from the past. They didn't mean for the review to be so long, but they found so much to rant about, especially in the climax. They had a huge diatribe written down about what was wrong with the climax, particularly when Terriermon and Gummymon re-emerged and became their mega forms. The action scene is clumsy compared to the fights in the second part of the movie.
Editing and Villain Quality [30:12]
The content creator notes that heavy editing was done in this part of the movie to fit the time limit, and the action sequences suffered as a result. Digimon has never had a fantastic action budget, but the movies usually pulled off action well compared to the series. The villain is not good, and by the time this was released in American theaters, the Digimon Emperor had been defeated, and Ken had become a good guy. The Japanese version of this movie got a sequel a year later.
Splicing Movies and Lazy Writing [31:10]
The content creator suggests that if Saban was going to splice movies together, they should have waited and spliced movies that had some sort of link instead of putting together movies that had no reason to be together. They use a lot of footage from the show itself to showcase how boneheaded this is, calling it lazy writing. The prop they are holding is a gigantic bubble wand. The movie tries to pass off that the characters can suddenly reach Mega and produce golden Digi-Eggs, which is stupid.
Review Process and Technical Difficulties [33:03]
The content creator talks about the review process, mentioning that they got the footage while at college and consolidated it at home. They had to make a trip to the local library to use the wireless internet to upload the review on time because they had dial-up at home. The ending is forced, and even in the Japanese version, it doesn't evoke emotion because the audience doesn't care about the characters. The creator hates when series turned into movies add superfluous characters.
Closing Remarks and Future Plans [36:45]
The content creator asks viewers if they think they should bring back the villain for more segments later on. They could throw together any old costume and say it was him. If viewers want to see the villain used again, maybe in another triple feature, they should let the creator know. This whole thing was an experiment, and the creator is happy with it but doesn't think they would revisit it too often. They should have commented on the Amanda Anaconda short that plays at the beginning of the movie but had to settle on making fun of the Lin video.
Tiredness and Editing Challenges [38:29]
The content creator admits they were starting to get tired of hating on the movie near the end of the commentary. This is their longest review to date and the one that took the longest to edit. Their iMovie program crashed a few times because iMovie 2008 has a problem with videos over 15 minutes in length. The program slows down exponentially and risks crashing every time an edit is made. Luckily, iMovie saves constantly, so nothing is lost if it crashes.
Credits and Apology [40:17]
The content creator mentions that their next review was of Digimon 3, which they liked but thought could have been better. They list off all of the songs from Digimon and Digimon the movie in the credits scene. The creator ends with an apology and wonders how many more childhood tragedies they have reignited from showing the scene again.