Attack on Titan, or Shingeki no Kyojin, is a show that has been in my orbit for years. It’s a massively popular manga, but I’ve never engaged with the material, yet I gave this live-action adaptation a shot. I went in with low-ish expectations and was still somehow surprised… and not necessarily in a good way.

First off, this movie feels way longer than 90 minutes. I’m not even exaggerating. For a film that’s technically short by action movie standards, it really drags. The pacing is weird. One minute, we’re crawling through melodrama, and the next there’s Titan-on-human carnage that feels more like a slasher flick than a serious dark fantasy epic.

That said… when the action does kick in, it’s kinda engaging in a “wow this is chaotic and intense” way. The visuals go hard on gore and destruction, which, if nothing else, keeps your eyes open. There’s a very grindhouse energy to some of it, which wasn’t exactly what I expected from a globally beloved anime franchise.

Surprisingly, though, one emotional beat actually got me, the scene between Eren and Armin. I teared up a little. I don’t even know why, because I hadn’t really connected with any of the characters. There’s very little time spent building real relationships between them, and the performances are kind of flat across the board. Honestly, it all felt like a parody at times, like someone making an over-the-top fan film with a massive effects budget.

But here’s the weird silver lining: this movie made me want to read the manga or watch the anime. Like, badly. You can sense the bones of a great story beneath all the chaotic energy and odd choices. It’s clear the source material has depth, nuance, and characters you can actually care about. Perhaps it’s a different experience for manga readers and anime fans, but this adaptation didn’t quite do it justice. It did convince me there’s something much better out there in the original format.

If you’re looking for a serious, faithful take on Attack on Titan, this probably isn’t it. But if you’re down for a wild ride that might just push you into the manga world, well… give it a shot. Just don’t expect it to make a ton of sense.

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