Patema Inverted [rating=5]

One of the freshest Sci-Fi anime in years, Patema Inverted literally turns its heroine’s world upside down to produce an action-packed, gravity defying adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Yasuhiro Yoshiura’s movie combines an innovative theme, spectacular set pieces and top notch art to create a scifi future classic you’ll never forget. Just don’t look down …or do we mean up?

Patema Inverted is the story of two young people, who both come from two very different walks of live. Our first, and lead character is a girl by the name of Patema (Cassandra Lee Morris). Patema is the chiefs daughter, a girl of great curiosity, who always seems to get into trouble wandering into dangerous areas. She lives deep underground in a system of tunnels with her community, much like miners. One day as she is exploring, she runs into an outsider, walking on the ceiling. As she tries to escape, she falls down a hole only to float out upside down clinging to a fence for her life, as she fears falling into the sky. The boy that saves her, Age (Michael Sinterniklass) climbs the fence to hold her down, so the floating girl doesn’t fly away. Patema is now stuck in a world, where everything is upside down, and the people above ground want to destroy her community; the Inverts. Age lives in a world ruled by an iron fist, where looking up at the sky makes you a sinner. Age and Patema find friendship in one another, as they look towards the sky mesmerized by its beauty.

This film shows us both sides of the world through Patema and Age’s eyes. It was incredibly interesting as we also got to see both of them way out of their comfort zones, not just the girl that needed to be saved. Through the film, we got to see Patema view the world outside the caverns, and Age breaking free of the strict social upbringing of his school life to fight to save the girl who floated down into his life. The visuals are fantastic, clean clear and crisp. The voice cast well suited and the ending very surprising. Slightly confusing as you try to piece together the world they show, but a very happy outcome. There is room there and story lines to follow if they wish to create a second film, and I very much hope they do.
There are so many special features included, from commentary, to interviews with the Director and Japanese voice cast, a special message from them as well to the UK viewers. As well as the usual trailers for the film.
I will give this film 4 stars, with the fantastic amount of extras included, this will be my 5 star review. Fingers crossed, a second movie will come about in the future.

Patema Inverted comes out December 1st on Dvd/Blu-ray by Anime Limited.