The Arti: The Adventure Begins (2015) Fantasia 2015

The creators of LEGEND OF THE SACRED STONE return with another eye popping action tale done entirely with puppets. This time out a brother and sister, entrusted with a metal and wood robot that their father built go off to find "the Origin" and it's source.

This was one of my top five must see lists at Fantasia. Another film from the SACRED STONE people and I was there. The film looked even more amazing than the earlier film and I just had to see it.

If you noticed the plot description above is really sparse, there is a good reason for that, the plot is really sparse. Frankly there isn't much to it and on a certain level it's bit dumbed down from the earlier film. Its as if director Huang Wen Chang and writer Huang Liang Hsun tried to make a film that was going to pack them in with echoes of the Final Fantasy games and a cute bird. The plot isn't bad but it's never compelling on it's own terms.

On the other hand the visuals are incredible. Put this on the list of best action films of the year. Its amazing. I don't know what voodoo they used but this film is pure poetry. The actions are completely natural and seem even more real than the great martial arts films from the heyday of the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest. My jaw just hung open the whole time going as I wondered how the hell they did it.

I am in awe.

This is one of the most alive and living films I've seen all year.

This film is a must see. For action film fans, for puppet lovers, for people who want to be wowed for any one who wants to see something really cool THE ARTI is a must. It may not have the best plot but its one of the few times you'll hear me say visuals and action trump plot,

What would Jim Henson have made of this? What would he have stolen?  My mind boggles at what the Muppet movies would have been like had the great minds behind this film and the Henson Studios got together.

See this film- however you can just see this film and be blown away.