It is just crazy to think that the last two theatrical releases that James Cameron directed were Avatar (2009) and Titanic (1997). It’s even more outrageous when you take into account how much these two films have grossed worldwide, ummmm that would be just under five billion U.S. dollars. Yessss, that is billion with a “B”! Talk about selective individuals. Well don’t jump the gun just yet, as Robert Rodriguez is the lucky one who gets to helm this intriguing new movie. Cameron co-wrote and co-produced the budget-busting feature and there’s been a lot of buzz surrounding it. Now it’s time to find out if Alita: Battle Angel was worth the wait and, more importantly, worth your money.

Centuries have passed and Earth has vastly changed. After a cataclysmic war known as “The Fall”, the world has become trash heap with everyone fighting for scraps. The only thing that keeps most going is the idea that one day they might find their way to the great sky city above, known as Zalem. Only the most fortunate of souls will be given the opportunity to ascend to the rumored utopia but getting there won’t be easy. Becoming the grand champion is one way to get there, and that will come into play for our yet to mentioned main characters.

Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) uses his skills to help those in need, ones with ailments and injuries that would otherwise go untreated. He also scavenges various junkyards searching for treasure among the trash. This is where he finds Alita (Rosa Salazar) and brings her back into the land of the living. The cyborg’s past is a mystery but there’s definitely more to her story than Dr. Ido could imagine. The same could be said about the good doctor as well since he seems to have a complicated past as well. As Alita gets comfortable with her body and her surroundings, she begins to display a unique skillset that cannot be ignored. As this story shrouded in mystery starts to come into focus, Dr. Ido, Alita and pretty much everyone that’s introduced seem to have secrets that will inevitably be revealed. Alita: Battle Angel is poised to take audiences on a fantastic sci-fi adventure that no one will see coming.

The very first thing that needs to be said about Alita: Battle Angel is that seeing it on a big screen, and I mean a BIG screen, should be first priority if you’re seeking to maximize your experience. The visuals are nothing short of breathtaking and that feeling of awe exists throughout its two hour runtime. It’s been a long time since we’ve witnessed something so grand, so beautiful, so seamlessly natural in theaters in a long time. You can tell that no expenses were spared by Twentieth Century Fox when bringing this to fruition. And that commitment to perfection pays off. The details of the CGI facial expressions are mesmerizing, the landscapes are endless and the fight scenes are smooth as butter.

Robert Rodriguez takes on the daunting task of recreating the Japanese graphic novel, Gunnm, into a mostly live action American fantasy film. With actors such as Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Skrein and Mahershala Ali, Rodriguez has a loaded cast at his disposal. The acting itself is well done as is the writing. This story is one that reveals little by little in a very entertaining way but does not get ahead of itself. Alita: Battle Angel is one of those rare projects that actually lives up to the hype.

For some reason, beyond my personal views, critics seem to be divided on the quality of this movie. Even though the overall feel is mostly positive, there are those that found Alita: Battle Angel to be disappointing. Aside from the pace slowing down a tad in places, this is a fun movie. It puts audiences in touch with their inner-child as you’re awestruck by what’s in front of you. As for the effects, if you’re like me, you’ll wonder why the heck isn’t there always this much attention to detail. My guess is that cost has a heavy bearing on that decision but I say go big or go home…which is easy to say when it isn’t my money being risked.

Alita: Battle Angel is two hours of forgetting what’s going on in the real world and just letting your imagination fly. Even though it’s being released during the winter, it has a real summer feel to it. Interestingly, this is being released tonight (on a Monday) in very select theaters at 7PM. On Tuesday evening, showtimes expand just a bit to a few other theaters, again at 7PM. On Wednesday evening is when it opens wide. Get out to theaters and check this one out and behold the beauty that is Alita: Battle Angel.