Another World Review: A Kaleidoscopic Afterlife Fairytale with Dark Fury
Adorable spirits guide the dead towards reincarnation in this beautifully strange Hong Kong anime – but viewers should brace themselves for gut-wrenching moments of violence that make it unsuitable for younger audiences. The film presents a striking fusion of Studio Ghibli's wonder with the gruesomeness reminiscent of Game of Thrones, all wrapped in the dark, tragic intensity of a Greek drama.
A Visually Gorgeous Yet Disturbing Netherworld
Directed by emerging Hong Kong film-maker Tommy Kai Chung Ng, Another World opens in an afterlife stopover where deceased humans await reincarnation. This ethereal realm is inhabited by charming pint-sized spirits known as soul keepers, whose duty involves shepherding the departed towards their next existence. The dead leave behind their unresolved resentments in this place, which manifest as intricate knots tied within beautiful threads of red silk.
Goddess Mira oversees this domain, expressing despair over her millennia-long failure to eradicate human hatred and cruelty despite continuously untying these symbolic knots. The animation itself is a visual feast, rendered in a kaleidoscope of trippy pastel hues that deliver some truly breathtaking imagery throughout the narrative.
Complex Characters and Harrowing Narratives
One particularly curious soul keeper named Gudo becomes fascinated by human emotions, and the film unfolds through the stories of the deceased individuals he assists. Central characters include Yuri, a young girl desperately searching for her missing brother within Another World, and Princess Goran, who descends into madness following her father's tragic death.
Little Gudo dedicates himself to preventing an evil seed planted in Princess Goran's heart from sprouting, a mission that carries devastating consequences for both Earth and the afterlife realm. The movie explores profound themes about human destructiveness and how people often ruin everything, while simultaneously celebrating the beauty inherent within the human heart.
A Rich Tapestry of Ideas and Imagery
Despite its remarkable inventiveness and imaginative scope, Another World occasionally feels psychologically distant, perhaps due to its relentless swirl of concepts and narratives. The film delivers several brutal sequences that underscore its mature themes, including a medieval feudal lord burning peasants alive within a grain store and a teenage princess whipping a general's back to a bloody pulp over her father's demise.
This Hong Kong animation represents a bold cinematic achievement that challenges conventional storytelling while delivering stunning visual artistry. Another World arrives in UK and Irish cinemas from 30 January, offering audiences a distinctive viewing experience that blends fairytale aesthetics with uncompromising dramatic intensity.
