First of all, I want to say that, overall, I think it’s a very good series (I give it an 8/10). Here, I am reviewing the movie that comprises episodes 8 and 9.
It is clear that Gooseworx is a woman of great talent and passion. I have seen all her animations prior to this series and was impressed by them, just as I was by most of this work.
Director: Gooseworx
Writer: Gooseworx
Stars: Lizzie Freeman, Michael Kovach, Amanda Hufford
However, this finale leaves me with mixed feelings. On one hand, the animation, music, and voice acting are fantastic. The message and central themes are truly fascinating to me, and I understand that this was always a character-driven series, rather than one focused on mythology or world-building (*lore*). I even applaud the fact that GW ultimately steered quite far away from Harlan Ellison’s infamous horror story—the series' main inspiration—*I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream*, regarding character development. The series no longer lives in that shadow, and I’m glad for that.
Nevertheless, the overall execution and priorities of the ninth episode raise some doubts for me. I feel the movie should have covered the ninth and a tenth episode instead of the eighth, as there was still a lot of work to be done with the characters; unfortunately, I think many of them were sidelined. It is a good thing they weren't afraid to resolve much of the conflict through dialogue, but there clearly wasn't enough time to fully flesh everything out.
I enjoyed *all* the characters in the series, not just the three who stand out in the finale. I would also say that—without getting into spoilers—the fate of a certain character shouldn't have been reversed the way it was; it felt a bit absurd, even though I understand why that decision was made.
Finally, the structure of the movie itself feels somewhat uneven. It gives the impression of being two episodes forced together, which pulls me out of the experience.
To conclude, I am glad this series exists and that it was popular enough to achieve this cinematic conclusion. I just wish a little more time had been spent cooking it up. A few revisions, some tweaks, and better organization would have made for a much better experience. Even so, I’m glad I went to see it in the theater. It was nice to see the auditorium packed with people of all ages. Not everything has that kind of draw.
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