LAZARUS

The world is ending in thirty days, and everyone is shocked, as announced by a notable celebrity who has suddenly resurfaced in the public eye. With only one message: "Find me." The message leads to the hysteria of people partying and panic. Additionally, a fraction of these people are frenzied in their attempt to find this person to prevent this so-called doomsday. One of these groups, Lazarus, seeks a solution to the situation and captures the famous person, often portrayed in spy action movies. But the surprises keep getting interesting until it doesn't. Leading to the twists ruining their story's pace and conflict.

Animation (8.5):  The fight choreography is like staring into a literal action movie. If you see Axel moving around, that is not just an "animation" but full live-action with an animated twist. The scene brings you into the action, and the shots are gorgeous and animated, even amid an apocalyptic setting. Which I find interesting. There's a lot of CGI usage, but sometimes it has glaring effects that are pretty noticeable, particularly in scenic shots where the CGI is at its most uncanny. But when used at close range, it is the perfect blend. However, these moments are few and far between despite being well-executed.

Audio (7): The jazz and drama match the flair of the story. Adding to the animation and ambiance of the scene, it evokes a spy action film in terms of sound quality. The music composer has some merit and knows the situation in terms of balancing the action and drama. The only feedback given is that the sound is underutilized. The audio for the Lazarus soundtrack design can be utilized more effectively to create suspense and give it a distinctive sound design that sets Lazarus apart in terms of its original soundtrack.

Characters (6): The story introduces Axel, a convicted criminal who is sentenced to life in prison due to repeated attempted escapes. He is unusual due to his carefree and playful nature. Who would seem not to be joining any organization. But he does it as a force, along with four other members. Do their dynamics have some chemistry, even when switching with each other. Who works to show that dynamics change? Despite feeling a bit stereotypical and generic, being a prodigy hacker and spy isn't a potent betrayal, but is suspected to be one. Their voices match their vibe. The characters are their idea, giving it the vibe of a spy film again. The side characters extend this complication by the fact that others often don't have much screen time or potential on-screen, such as an assassin who arrives later and then leaves afterward. The writing like that is unbelievable; he could have been a much better character alongside others, such as other hackers and even Lazarus itself—the potential for character development in an engaging main cast. The writing had potential that the writers could have realized, but they wasted it by rushing the ending.

Story (5.9): The story is the most glaring part of Lazarus. It seems, at first, that the government spy group formed to save the world trope is a common theme—Lazarus's foundation, for one purpose, is to find the doctor. However, there's a part that conflicts and gets them into trouble, which showcases incredible growth and foreshadows it quickly, albeit in a fairly summarized manner. In later episodes, it's extended, but it felt rushed to write. However, the person who announced it was the doctor who had gone missing. Plus, one of those super geniuses that disappeared type. Despite having a reason for doing so, the doctor announced his plan in response to the incident. It is half-baked despite decent foreshadowing near the halfway point. However, it's a little different when discussing real-world problems and issues, such as the most notable political problems and hypothetical scenarios that could have occurred.

Overall (3): It's generally average. When incomes are high, the story is a generic mess with very poorly written plot twists. The only redeeming quality is that the animation is at least personally enjoyable, particularly in the direction and relationships of each character.

P.S. Don't read the rage bait.

Thanks for reading!