Review of Paprika

The dream sequences are its saving grace, but this is by no means the masterpiece that I was expecting on the basis of its sterling reputation. It has glaring faults, namely undeveloped characterisation and a forceless narrative structure, both of which prevent the viewer from investing in beyond the superficial aspects. "Paprika" definitely succeeds from a visual viewpoint, but its construal elements fall flat. Perhaps the inclination to slickly actualise the complexity of dreamscapes without sacrificing logic was lost on its director, who opted to simplify the plot, thereby greatly reducing its potential to soar. Rather than applying surrealism to the sequence of events on screen and allowing the delineate components to be absorbed subliminally, the overt elucidation and predictable expounding compartmentalises the film for a vacuous Western audience, somewhat trivialising its characters as redundant, only necessary in terms of the progression of the meandering storyline. In this respect, I would have preferred an engineered non-linear impression with a modicum of exposition, but despite its impediments, the film is an immersive mind-trip akin to no other, beautifully animated and augmented by a zippy score and vivid imagery, which more than compensates for its weaknesses.