Samurai Jack - The Premiere Movie (2001)

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The graphically inventive feature that introduced the Cartoon Network series owes as much to the cartoons of UPA and Chuck Jones as it does to anime. The title character is a prince whose family has fought the evil demon Aku for control of their fanciful Asian kingdom for ages. During an intense… More The graphically inventive feature that introduced the Cartoon Network series owes as much to the cartoons of UPA and Chuck Jones as it does to anime. The title character is a prince whose family has fought the evil demon Aku for control of their fanciful Asian kingdom for ages. During an intense battle, Jack is hurled into a future city ruled by Aku and his henchmen-robots. After aiding some talking dogs, Jack vows to continue his struggle against Aku and return to own time. The angular, minimal visuals are effective and eclectic: Aku's face is modeled on Sri Lankan demon masks, and the characters move in ways that fit their stylized designs. Unfortunately, the writing falls short of the visuals--the talking dogs would feel more at home in a "Ren and Stimpy" cartoon than in this imaginative adventure. Unrated. Suitable for ages 8 and older: cartoon violence. --Charles Solomon