All over social media, Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc is being praised as one of the greatest movies of the year, but this review will be different. Visually, it deserves the admiration. It has style and fluidity that a lot of animated movies cannot match, and it certainly matches the chaotic vibe of Chainsaw Man.
Unfortunately, that is where the strength fades. It lacks the depth that even Demon Slayer managed to achieve earlier this year. To me, it lands at a comfortable 7 out of 10 when taking everything into account.
This review breaks down what the movie gets right, what it gets wrong, and whether Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc truly deserves the hype.
Animation Excellence Over Storytelling
Without a doubt, the animation deserves a 10/10. The action scenes were over the top, in a good way. Pairing the animation with the spectacular sound design, and you have a recipe for a great out of body experience. There is a reason MAPPA is one of the greatest animation studios in today’s time.
If we were reviewing judged on animation alone, Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc would surely be a top 10 contender. The issue is that animation isn’t everything, and it becomes stale after 15 minutes into the action.
Amazing Sound Design and Sound Track
In the theaters, this movie sends pure dopamine straight to the ears. Every explosion from Reze, the Bomb Devil, sends you shivers, the good kind. Every rotation of Denji’s chainsaw face sounds riveting. It all matches the art and style of the movie exceptionally well.
The soundtrack is equally impressive. The intro “IRIS OUT”, written and performed by Kenshi Yonezu, is a great followup from Yonezu’s Season 1 intro, “KICK BACK”. The song thematically fits with Denji’s inner turmoil. You can’t help but bop your head along to the music.
There are 0 negatives to talk about here. Everything about the sound design and soundtrack is superb.
Denji and Reze’s Relationship Feels Disconnected
Reze, an odd but outgoing girl, meets Denji, a teenager struggling to find purpose. It’s shown to be a slow connection, but it is rushed and disconnected. It doesn’t help that all the characters in this show feel incredibly jaded and dejected. Maybe in the manga it is handled better, but I find it hard to believe.
Denji makes it unbearable to watch at times. He can’t decide if he loves Reze, Makima, or understands what love is. After the explosive battle, Denji says he will run away with Reze. This time she rejects him. In real time, it feels like piecing a puzzle together. You have Denji’s choice and reasons clashing with Reze’s. But the pacing of the movie doesn’t let the audience piece that puzzle as the movie progresses.
With some reflection, the emotional logic becomes clearer. Denji’s decline comes from finding comfort in a place that is quietly exploiting him, something he only realizes after the battle. Reze, on the other hand, is naive and hopes Denji will run away with her because she sees they are both being used. The problem is that the movie never communicates these nuances effectively. You understand it only when you step back and think about it, not while watching.
Fan Service Ruins The Experience
Fan service in the form of revealing clothes and exaggerated physics ends up clashing with the movie’s serious tone. One moment Reze is fully clothed and then the next her pants are blown off. After a while it feels ridiculous, and it adds nothing to the story.
Plenty of popular anime fall into this trap, but it feels especially out of place here. Chainsaw Man already has a mature audience, yet the fan service still feels cheap and unnecessary. It weakens moments that should have carried real emotional weight.
Thinking More Over Feeling More
In a way, this film is difficult to review. It tackles heavy themes like exploitation, nihilism, and alienation, but it often forgets to make you feel anything. Throughout the movie, I found myself searching for deeper meanings behind every line instead of simply experiencing the story. It becomes less of an emotional journey and more of an analysis exercise.
Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc is undeniably ambitious, and it tries something very different from other modern shonen films such as Demon Slayer. That originality will resonate with dedicated fans of the series. For others, though, the tone may feel overwhelmingly bleak, leaving the movie’s message more draining than impactful.
Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc Overall
As mentioned earlier, the animation, sound design, and soundtrack are all excellent. The animation sits just a tier below the latter two only because it becomes a bit too chaotic at times, but it is still impressive. The audio, however, is on another level and will be hard for any future anime film to surpass.
While the movie excels technically, everything else lands somewhere around average. There were several moments where I felt like I was missing pieces of the story, and by the end I was more drained than moved. It almost feels like the film hands you a puzzle but expects you to finish it through outside research rather than through the storytelling itself. Because of that, it is hard to justify its position as the number two anime film on MyAnimeList.
In the end, Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc is a technical masterpiece, but it cannot hide some of the weaknesses beneath the surface. Makima explains early in the film that many movies try to make you feel something and only a rare few truly succeed. Whether this one counts as remarkable is up to you. For me, it lands comfortably at a 7 out of 10.
In Conclusion
Hey everyone, thanks for taking the time to read the Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc review. I know this review might be controversial, but I think it needs to be said. A lot of fans are overrating the movie based on hype alone. Is it one of the greatest anime films ever made? No. But it isn’t a bad movie either. What I do know is that Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc will be talked about for a long time, and that alone makes it worth watching. Also, check out other anime related articles! See ya.