"Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven's Door" is an animated feature based on a tv anime series (released on DVD) that has gained quite a following on both sides of the Pacific. It is interesting to note how Mr. Watanabe manages to pull off a balancing act required to satisfy both the loyal following of the tv series, to whom the introduction of principal characters and setting would be redundant, and to those who are relatively new to the "Cowboy Bebop" universe, of which I am the latter.

To those not well versed in the "Cowboy Bebop" lore, it takes some time to get familiar with various featured characters. The film begins in the same fashion as any of its self-contained tv episode would, in that not a lot of exposition is provided for grasping the setting. The characters are more or less introduced as 'bounty hunters' and that is as much of a background the film lets on before establishing the main plot.

It is not too much of a setback not to be given any opportunity to become attached to any of the characters. They are there to simply convey various scenes of the main plot and arrange them into place before they culminate into an oft-tread climax. The plot is briskly disclosed (rather literally spelled out by dialogue, no implication) and turns out to be a fairly mundane yarn that does not break any new ground in narrative nor provide any catalyst for any interesting character development or revelation.

The symbolism and nuance that are laid thick in colorful locales and poignant sceneries may merit repeat viewings to appreciate them; a careful analysis of the film brings another level of enjoyment to overall experience. Also relationships between the characters and circumstantial developments of the plot seem to rely too impulsively on coincidence, not mindful of what the viewer is meant to discern. This could be attributed to attempting to weave a credible plot involving diverse elements and subplots in a limited frame of time, or it could have been something else relevant in the context of the "Cowboy Bebop" tv series. Some have suggested that this film is nothing but a figurative dream, in which the main character confronts the guilt of his past to help him proceed to his ultimate fate in the last remaining episodes of the tv series.

If that was the case, then the film ends up being not as complete or entertaining to the "Cowboy Bebop" novices as it would have been for those well acquainted with the tv series. To that effect, it is rather disappointing.

"Cowboy Bebop" features lush animation that features some of the most impressive displays of action sequences put to cel, particularly the confrontation at the medical lab between Spike and Electra, not to mention the prolonged martial no-holds-barred showdown between Vincent and Spike. The character designs are fairly distinct and varied, although in some instances they linger a bit too long on stereotypical depiction of some races. The details given to many of the locales are unsurpassed in their variety and ambience; it is a testament to how artists went as far as to include references to mainstream culture, dotting the background with "WcDonald's" and "Kodac" (although I am lead to believe such play on words is the Japanese equivalent of product placement).

The music is another highlight of the film, which is not unexpected of Yoko Kano, who is a renowned composer of anime soundtrack who have previously lent her resourceful talents to other popular anime such as "Macross Plus" (another collaboration with the director Watanabe). The compact blend of blues and jazz heightens the urgent mood and graces slower parts with an equally effective repertoire. I don't know about others, but I did not mind the dubbing of the film too much. Maybe because the voices are supported by a script that is partially altered to bring out genuine emotion to the dialogue and to resolve colloquial barriers between the languages.

"Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven's Door" is a good standard action romp that is further enhanced by superb animation, equally enjoyable music, and more or less succeeds both as a tribute to the series' fans and a good introduction of the series to those who might be interested in one of the better anime licenses to have come ashore. Recommended.

Watching Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is kind of like reconnecting with an old friend. He's got the same sense of humor, the same style and you recognize him, but at the same time, he's matured. Perhaps he's grown sleeker, taken advantage of improved technologies, or perhaps gotten a little wide around the belly.

Everything's back in Cowboy Bebop the movie. Because of the characters and plot as we know it, the movie probably occurs somewhere in the late teen episodes or early twenties episodes of the series, which has a positive and a negative effect. If you've already watched the series, then certain things don't surprise you since you know what happens to the characters later. Furthermore, because this was produced after the series, it also doesn't get to tangle with the central storyline of the series (they mythology), where the series, which was excellent even in the anthology episodes, really shined. On the plus side, it hits where we're most familiar with the series, before things get super serious and with the characters in the state that they spent most of the series.

The story deals with a bioterror threat and the Cowboys get caught up in it, while trying to nab bounties to make a little change while in an urban city. There is no space travel or dogfights in space, but The Movie does take efforts to include a little of everything that the series has had (minus the mythos), so expect to see martial arts, gunplay, dogfights (but not in space), goofing off, hungry characters, Ed being silly and such.

Unfortunately, the story only lives up to the high standard of a stand-alone episode of Cowboy Bebop, but despite the fact that The Movie is considerably longer than an episode, it all flows along smoothly and feels like you just watched a good two-parter rather than an episode that's been dragged out. Nonetheless, since we hardly get into the Cowboy characters, the story doesn't have the same resonance of the stronger episodes in the series. Instead we get to go deeper into a pair of characters for the movie, who have somewhat interesting stories, but aren't strong enough to really carry the emotional heft of the film since they aren't the protagonists.

The art, on the other hand, is still gorgeous and the movie benefits from the widescreen aspect ratio as well as what appears to be an improved budget for the animation, as everything, from backgrounds to characters, are treated with a wonderful level of detail. There are a few scenes involving butterflies that are absolutely beautiful to look at. Furthermore, the sound benefits from a great surround sound mix, adding directionality and heft to the soundtrack. Finally, the score by Yoko Kanno is delicious to listen to and perfectly brings you back into the series while presenting some absolutely stunning new songs in the mix as well.

Overall, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is a fun ride. Although, in the end, it's not as strong (story-wise) as the more compelling episodes of the series, the art, the sound, the music and just getting to spend a little more time again with characters you've come to know and love makes this a thoroughly enjoyable film. Recommended for Cowboy Bebop fans--but you must watch at least most of the series before watching this. 8/10.

I've been one of the lucky people able to see Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door at the box office. It kicks so much ### on so many levels. Featuring just about the entire main TV series cast at one point or another(with the exception of TV villain Vicious), it is one of the best movies I've seen in 2003.

The plot is a bit haunting, especially with the bad guy being a bio-terrorist, but then again, this was made back in 2001, before any of the stuff was going to happen. I'm not going to say much, except it is a bit hard to understand if you only see it once. Also, it helps to better understand the characters if you've seen the TV series.

Yoko Kanno once again composes the music, and it's awesome. Just about every tune perfectly fits in with the scenes.

And what scenes they are. The action scenes kick dirt in the faces of most live action movies I've seen recently. The fight scenes literally make the weak action in the Matrix films look like ballet. Just see the fight at the end of the film and you'll know what I mean. It's just...... wow. I can't really describe it without spoiling anything, and I do not want to do that. Another thing good about animation... you can get away with stuff you could never do in live films, without a ton of CGI. This helps when you see some really big animation stunt. And of course, it couldn't be CB without one of those awesome chases in Spike's ship, the swordfish.

BOTTOM LINE: With the DVD out at most stores, including places like Walmart, you have no excuse to miss this thrill ride.