The fiercely gorgeous and sinister world of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle

I must admit I was fairly late to catching this film in cinemas, partly because I really did not think the movie would surprise me in any real way. Having been tired of the anime's dull storytelling and forgettable plotlines, I expected the movie to be nothing miraculous.

But, when I went to watch the film, I was caught off-guard by the amount of people still coming to the theatres to watch the movie after so many days of the movie being out. 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' not only made a global splash, but managed to spark the same hype among Bangladeshi fans.

With the show known for its beautiful animation and stunning combat, this movie had everyone on their heels as the movie is moving towards the end of the manga.

'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' is a joy to watch, especially if you are a big fan of their combat sequences and stunning visuals. And, for viewers who are coming for an amazing story, the final third act makes sure to give the audience enough room to breathe in the emotional moments as well.

'Demon Slayer' is primarily centred around two sibling— Tanjiro and Nezuko. In this fantasy world, demons roam the night hunting humans as prey. However, when Muzan (the main antagonist) slaughters their family and fatally wounds Nezuko to make her transform into a demon, Tanjiro must find a way to restore his bloodthirsty sister back to a human while embarking on his own journey to be a demon slayer.

This movie is the first part of a trilogy that picks up where the final anime season had left off. The epic ending of the 'Hashira Training Arc' had our heroes finally at the verge of finishing off Muzan, when the ground beneath suddenly collapses into his secret lair: an infinitely expanding castle.

The entire ensemble of Hashiras (the top demon slayers) are united for the first time in a fight but in the infinity castle, they are not only outnumbered but also outmatched in strength in comparison to the six Upper Demons. 

Ufotable, the studio behind the series, has crafted a movie of such unparalleled magnitude it already has grossed over 550 million dollars and the highest grossing Japanese movie worldwide.

This movie is structured in three main parts: Shinobu vs Upper Demon 2, Zenitsu vs Upper Demon 6, and Tanjiro and Giyu vs Upper Demon 3. The creators exercise each minute of the long 2.5-hour runtime to explore every character and their motivations, especially those of the demons. However, the movie does take too much sweet time in the second half.

I have always particularly admired Ufotable's effort in humanising every demon and the people they were before turning into one. And these are never brief, hollow backstories to justify what they do. 

Viewers get to learn about them thoroughly and sympathise with each of them, often more than our protagonists. The violence is endless, but never mindless (most of the time).

However, the movie does suffer from way too many confusingly timed flashbacks. Often stretching longer than needed, the slow expositions break the fast pace of the main plot in a way that leaves you wanting out of the experience. 

Some of them were important and interesting, but most felt so bland that it seemed like the movie did not trust its viewers to understand if it did not tell them exactly what was happening.

Paired with poorly written dialogues, it is hard to feel immersed in the storytelling of the movie. Characters often over-explain their thoughts, their backstories and their strategies, while all of it is being in their heads (like those Indian television dramas).

But, the main appeal of the series has never been the lore. 

It has been its undeniable and frighteningly beautiful art style. From the set design of the infinity castle to the charged-up swinging of their swords, everything is so meticulous and grand in execution it is hard not to gasp in awe at how far animation has truly come along. Each fight carries so much energy you will never want them to end, especially when our heroes are backed against the wall.

And, the best part— there was no shortage of action. Not a single fight was cut too short or felt like they were held back by budget constraints.

This movie is a joy to watch, especially if you are a big fan of their combat sequences and stunning visuals. And, for viewers who are coming for an amazing story, the final third act makes sure to give the audience enough room to breathe in the emotional moments as well.

Such films take a few months to arrive on digital platforms and with no official date announced yet, this film should not be missed in cinemas.