Even before I became obsessed with Takahide Hori’s creepy yet whimsical sci-fi world, I knew just from one glance at the poster and premise that I had to see Junk World at TIFF 50. 

A prequel set over 1,000 years before Hori’s feature-length directorial debut Junk Head (2017), Junk World takes place in a dystopian future in which humans and Mulligans, artificial life-forms that were created for labor but revolted against humanity after gaining consciousness and the ability to clone themselves, are in a 200+ year ceasefire after more than a century of war. The film follows an uneasy alliance consisting of humans, commanded by Captain Torys, and Mulligans, led by Dante, that are tasked with investigating strange events reported in the underground city of Kaapvaal.

Along the way, the group is not only hunted down by a Mulligan religious extremist faction called the Gyura Cult, but they also uncover a dimensional distortion that could pose a danger to the alliance. Torys’ robot, Robin, devises a plan that involves traveling through various dimensions to protect her and the rest of the group from the Gyura Cult and also prevent the distortions from fading them out of existence.

 As one can probably tell from this plot synopsis, Junk World is a movie that begins relatively straightforward but then becomes increasingly convoluted as it progresses. While I certainly got confused at moments, it doesn’t change the fact that I love almost every minute of this film.

As a fan of both adult stop-motion animation and dystopian sci-fi, Junk World already had my attention. However, it wasn’t until I watched Junk Head that I became truly hyped for this movie. While Junk Head is by no means a perfect film, as it can drag at certain points due to its incredibly simplistic story and characters, it is still something I adore for its stunning animation, gorgeous set design, and striking art direction. 

All of these are especially impressive considering the effort that went into making this movie. Hori is not only the writer and director of the film but also the producer, editor, cinematographer, production designer, art director, set decorator, and one of the composers, among many other roles. I respect that Hori was so passionate about this world he created that he actively and meticulously took charge of every aspect of production. The fact that the film is as memorable and well-realized as it is, from its H.R. Giger-influenced creature designs and anime-inspired fights to the interesting directing choices, goes to show just how talented an artist Hori is. 

Junk Head singlehandedly set a high bar for Junk World, and my biggest fear was that this follow-up film would fail to meet that expectation. At the bare minimum, I wanted this prequel to capture the same charm and magic that Junk Head had, retaining the perfectionist approach to filmmaking that was ever-present throughout that first film. Thankfully, I had a wide smile on my face while watching Hori’s sophomore feature, because I knew in that moment that I got everything I asked for and more. Junk World is not only a beautiful piece of stop-motion animation with even more anime-inspired fights and sci-fi concepts, but also a better movie than the original.  

According to The Japan Times, Hori stated that Junk World’s budget was double that of Junk Head’s, and it clearly shows. For starters, the scope and scale of Junk World feel so much grander. Unlike in Junk Head, where the setting mostly consists of hallways and corridors, this film utilizes much wider sets, including mountainous ranges, deserts, canyons, and even a city covered in mutated grunge and slime reminiscent of Annihilation (2018). Even the rooms and interiors are much more detailed thanks to the inclusion of brighter and varied colors, flags, and paintings, compared to the ones in Junk Head, which are mostly grey or brown walls. 

Junk World’s action scenes are also better than its predecessor, as there are not only more of them in this prequel, but there’s also a greater variety. The biggest issue with the set pieces in Junk Head is that — aside from the ending, where actual combat is involved — they are all just chase scenes. Junk World opens with a gunfight and is followed by sequences like a robot shooting rockets at a giant monster, a mysterious figure punching and shooting members of the Gyura Cult, and knights clashing their spears against each other. These sequences are always engaging to watch because each one is not only impressively coordinated and directed but also different from the last. I experience something new every time a fight breaks out, and when Hori revisits some of them as part of the dimension-hopping journey, they’re always presented from a different point of view. 

The most notable improvement Junk World has over Junk Head is that it has a far more compelling and ambitious story. I admire that, rather than rehashing the same simple narrative of a robot going on an adventure similar to the first film, it goes on a completely different route. Junk World starts as a fairly simple sci-fi journey in which Captain Torys, Dante, and Robin journey across a barren wasteland only to be attacked by the Gyura Cult. However, once tears in the space-time continuum and dimension hopping are introduced, the film suddenly transforms into a sort of time-travel/time-loop story a la Looper (2012) or Edge of Tomorrow (2014). 

The dimension-hopping aspect of the film can be confusing at times, and I’m sure people smarter than me can pick apart any plot holes related to it. Yet ultimately, I didn’t care about any of these issues for the simple reason that I had so much fun in the moment. I applaud Hori for being bold enough to include this narrative device at all, as time travel/dimensional tears can be tricky to tackle. They can be a slippery slope that leads to a messy story, but Hori makes them work because of how he chooses to present them. The film isn’t concerned with explaining how dimension-hopping works, as it uses it as an excuse to explore new concepts and environments, such as Robin building a civilization out of nothing or encountering future versions of Dante. 

These scenes are so entertaining because their weirdness and experimental nature left such an impression on me that they enhanced my overall experience. While the first 30 minutes before the space-time continuum part is introduced aren’t boring, they still feel familiar to what I saw in Junk Head. It’s only when dimensional tears and travel become major plot points that I became far more invested in Junk World, making me want to watch the movie again since they later recontextualize that first half-hour. The film has a layered approach to storytelling, and I’m confident that I’ll get even more out of it on a second watch. 

There is so much that I love and respect about Junk World, both in terms of the movie itself and the dedication Hori and his team put into completing and releasing it. This is only my first TIFF film, and yet I’m already confident it will be in my top five movies I see at the festival. My one desire (other than watching it again) is for as many people as possible to see the film. It is, in my opinion, one of the most unique films you’ll see all year. 

Review Courtesy of Timmy Lee

Feature Image via TIFF