‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ – A review by a non-fan

Anime films are certainly making more of an impression than ever. The local premiere of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle sparked cosplay competitions and an enthusiastic showing by fans of the series and the genre. Infinity Castle is definitively a film for fans. Its events are a direct sequel to the series, presenting its characters as established mainstays who need no introduction, and opening with a grand, splashy action sequence that’s a sight to behold.

If you have no prior context for the film, thankfully there’s a generous amount of exposition in the script. Perhaps a little too generous. The movie follows an overall plot of racing through the Infinity Castle, an endless building controlled by flesh-eating demons that shifts reality so that up becomes down and left becomes right. The end goal is to take down the Demon King, but along the way, the characters also have personal scores to settle.

One storyline sees a member of the Demon Corps — the group devoted to vanquishing the threat of demonic presence from the world — avenging her sister’s death. Another follows two brothers who were once human, one of whom has transformed himself into a demon. The final showdown has the main character of the series facing off against a former rival of immense power, alongside his more experienced companion.

All of this is explained in ways that are at best repetitive and at worst obstructive. The characters shout their motivations at one another, leaving no chance of getting lost as to why anyone is where they are — and they do so ad nauseam. Worse still, the film interrupts its own flashy combat sequences with egregious flashbacks that ruin the momentum. The most jarring comes near the end, with what feels like 45 minutes of back story injected right at the crux of the climactic battle.

I found myself admiring the audacity of Infinity Castle. To subvert the normal rules of pacing and dive head-first into the emotional capacity of the story is a bold decision. It’s almost as if the film is aware of how well those moments are executed, taking the risk of delaying gratification to create additional dramatic weight. For many, that risk won’t pay off, judging by the groans and moans heard in my screening — yet I have no doubt those same complainers will be first in line for the upcoming sequels. At no point in Infinity Castle was I bored. Its animation is nothing short of stellar, and the action is hard-hitting, filled with moments that satisfyingly pay off the stories set up by the series — something that’s felt even if you’ve never seen a single episode. For an uninitiated viewer like myself, the movie was a visual feast, with moments of humour that balance the tension and a stirring beginning-to-end chapter of a saga. Much like A New Hope in a galaxy far, far away, or an Infinity War fought by Earth’s mightiest heroes.

Rating: Half Price

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies

entertainment@gleanerjm.com