The whole movie I kept thinking "are you going to apologize to your daughter for dropping her cake and missing her party? Naruto you terrible, terrible dad."
I have two major problems with the movie: Characters and Themes and they bleed into and affect each other
Themes:
Characters:
Overall:
I have two major problems with the movie: Characters and Themes and they bleed into and affect each other
Themes:
Cheating/Not relying on your own power:
This is the main theme of the movie and it was wayyy too ham-fisted and because the villains were underdeveloped it rang false, I don't think Kishimoto has ever heard of the word subtlety. Boruto uses the ninja tool to cheat so guess what guys? Our villains are doing something similar and Naruto comments on it WHAT A COINCIDENCE. This is Kishimoto forcing a theme, and since the villains are one dimensional with barley any personality the thematic connection the movie tries to make between them and Boruto in the stadium rings hollow.
The Nature of Shinobi:
This is directly tied to Boruto's character arc, he proves that the nature of shinobi won't change when he discards the device. It's an ok theme that doesn't affect the story in a negative way so its fine.
This is the main theme of the movie and it was wayyy too ham-fisted and because the villains were underdeveloped it rang false, I don't think Kishimoto has ever heard of the word subtlety. Boruto uses the ninja tool to cheat so guess what guys? Our villains are doing something similar and Naruto comments on it WHAT A COINCIDENCE. This is Kishimoto forcing a theme, and since the villains are one dimensional with barley any personality the thematic connection the movie tries to make between them and Boruto in the stadium rings hollow.
The Nature of Shinobi:
This is directly tied to Boruto's character arc, he proves that the nature of shinobi won't change when he discards the device. It's an ok theme that doesn't affect the story in a negative way so its fine.
Characters:
Sasuke: I like Sasuke, but he was spouting bullshit this whole movie. Boruto surpassing Naruto? Yeah... Right...
But my major problem is the campfire scene, he tells this kid whose estranged with his father that he doesn't need to understand the Naruto right now, but the Naruto of the past and how he got here. Am I the only person who sees the obvious flaw in this thinking? It's all fine and dandy if Boruto understand's and even appreciates Naruto's past, but that doesn't solve the problem of right now: Naruto not being around and being unable to forge a meaningful connection with his children. Naruto and Boruto can't even have a normal conversation in Boruto's room without it being awkward. You ****ed up Sasuke.
Naruto: I'm going to go with the assumption that Naruto's clones are running around the village all night/day for days on end with no rest, that's the only way the premise of this movie even begins to make sense. Naruto, the guy who had nothing but was able to forge connections not just between himself and others, but between villages and nations, can't forge any meaningful connection with either of his kids. I'll just come right out and say it: Kishimoto threw Naruto under the bus just to make another movie. Naruto literally talked about bonds the ENTIRE manga. He was a terrible parent in this movie and his most defining trait (creating bonds) suddenly he can't do it because he's too tired? The Naruto I know would be crawling on his hands and knees to spend time with his kids. As Sasuke said, Naruto can make over a thousand clones, they can do all the work while he spends time with his children. But if that happened, we wouldn't have a movie, it's a contrivance for the sake of plot. And that's why it's terrible.
Naruto has no character arc in this movie when I think he should of had one. By the end of the movie he needed to change into someone who balances his family with his duty to the village. But the movie want's us to come down on the side of Naruto and says that it's Boruto who needs to change, that's why he has the character arc. Instead of Naruto changing into someone who balances his responsibilities Boruto changes into someone who want's to learn about Naruto's past. If Boruto didn't want to talk about the past Naruto wouldn't have made any ground with him. Naruto does nothing on his own to try and mend his relationships, and he doesn't even apologize to his daughter for dropping her cake and missing her birthday.
Boruto: When he was first conceived everyone was shitting on him for two reason's: They thought he was going to be a Naruto clone and because it seemed like he was being a whiny brat for sketchy reason's. Now that the movie's come out I think people can better understand the kids complaints and realized they're justified. Boruto is fine in this movie, his personality is established and his character arc is handled adequately. It's nothing special and it's incredibly ham-fisted but he changes into someone who can appreciate his father. And that's where the problems start. Even if he can appreciate Naruto's past that doesn't mean he shouldn't be mad that his dad doesn't spend time with him. That part was poorly handled everything else was ok.
But my major problem is the campfire scene, he tells this kid whose estranged with his father that he doesn't need to understand the Naruto right now, but the Naruto of the past and how he got here. Am I the only person who sees the obvious flaw in this thinking? It's all fine and dandy if Boruto understand's and even appreciates Naruto's past, but that doesn't solve the problem of right now: Naruto not being around and being unable to forge a meaningful connection with his children. Naruto and Boruto can't even have a normal conversation in Boruto's room without it being awkward. You ****ed up Sasuke.
Naruto: I'm going to go with the assumption that Naruto's clones are running around the village all night/day for days on end with no rest, that's the only way the premise of this movie even begins to make sense. Naruto, the guy who had nothing but was able to forge connections not just between himself and others, but between villages and nations, can't forge any meaningful connection with either of his kids. I'll just come right out and say it: Kishimoto threw Naruto under the bus just to make another movie. Naruto literally talked about bonds the ENTIRE manga. He was a terrible parent in this movie and his most defining trait (creating bonds) suddenly he can't do it because he's too tired? The Naruto I know would be crawling on his hands and knees to spend time with his kids. As Sasuke said, Naruto can make over a thousand clones, they can do all the work while he spends time with his children. But if that happened, we wouldn't have a movie, it's a contrivance for the sake of plot. And that's why it's terrible.
Naruto has no character arc in this movie when I think he should of had one. By the end of the movie he needed to change into someone who balances his family with his duty to the village. But the movie want's us to come down on the side of Naruto and says that it's Boruto who needs to change, that's why he has the character arc. Instead of Naruto changing into someone who balances his responsibilities Boruto changes into someone who want's to learn about Naruto's past. If Boruto didn't want to talk about the past Naruto wouldn't have made any ground with him. Naruto does nothing on his own to try and mend his relationships, and he doesn't even apologize to his daughter for dropping her cake and missing her birthday.
Boruto: When he was first conceived everyone was shitting on him for two reason's: They thought he was going to be a Naruto clone and because it seemed like he was being a whiny brat for sketchy reason's. Now that the movie's come out I think people can better understand the kids complaints and realized they're justified. Boruto is fine in this movie, his personality is established and his character arc is handled adequately. It's nothing special and it's incredibly ham-fisted but he changes into someone who can appreciate his father. And that's where the problems start. Even if he can appreciate Naruto's past that doesn't mean he shouldn't be mad that his dad doesn't spend time with him. That part was poorly handled everything else was ok.
Overall:
Good for a Naruto movie, but if we hold it to normal standards, it's an average movie with a predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and mishandled themes. The central conflict of the movie is that Naruto is too busy to spend time with his kids and this isn't resolved by the end of the movie. Naruto doesn't change. He say's he'll tell Boruto about his past, but then what? And what about his daughter? This was poorly handled. The fights and animation are good though 6/10
