Not being a huge fan of novels known as Manga, I've always appreciated the stories they've created in the form of movies of television. Not knowing anything about Alita: Battle Angel prior to watching this film, I was eagerly awaiting this look at a futuristic world and with the talent in front of and behind the camera, I feel a lot of people should have been feeling the same way. While this movies groundbreaking in many ways, I would say the story itself, as well as the side plots, are not. There's a lot to like about Alita: Battle Angel, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Let's dive into one of Hollywood's latest releases. Cyborg pieces are found in a scrapyard by Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) and assembled to form Alita (Rosa Salazar). Now revived and not sure where she came from or what secrets her past hold, she sets out on a mission to find herself, becoming a warrior in the process. The story of someone not knowing who they are, only to become a noble hero, has been told many times throughout many mediums, but it always feels special when it's accompanied by great a great lead performance and visuals that are truly out of this world. Not only are the visuals the standout of this film, but the real sets feel lived-in as if they found an actual place in the world that looked like this and started filming. Putting the set pieces aside for a moment, this truly is a film to see on the big screen for the visuals alone. From the impeccable look of Alita herself to the broad scope of this world and what else may be out there, this movie is epic in every way. Sadly, the epic scale, brilliant visuals, and engaging action sequences are slightly bogged down by exposition. Written by James Cameron, Late Kalogridis, and Robert Rodriguez (who also directed the film), I would be remised if I didn't comment on the fact that there are a few scenes that feature some fairly cheesy dialogue and some on-the-nose explanations, which felt a little out of touch, given the talent on board. To add to that, I was able to buy into the romantic arc throughout the film, involving Alita and Hugo (Keean Johnson), but where their story ended up kind of annoyed me. That being said, I thought the positive aspects of this film far outweighed the negatives and I would actually see another instalment. In the end, yes, Alita: Battle Angel does feel like a set-up for future instalments in more ways than one, but this is a self-contained story. The visuals are some of the best I've ever seen and the performance capture is absolutely a step towards perfection. The score itself actually stood out to me, which is rare these days and I found myself engaged, simply due to the music. On a technical level, this movie is a near masterpiece, but there are a few too many issues in the overall story to really call it a brilliant movie. Alita: Battle Angel is a fun time at the movies and I feel that a recommendation is warranted here.