{"id":32001,"date":"2025-10-25T21:10:28","date_gmt":"2025-10-26T01:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=32001"},"modified":"2025-10-27T22:53:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T02:53:07","slug":"chainsaw-man-the-movie-reze-arc-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=32001","title":{"rendered":"Chainsaw Man\u2014The Movie: Reze Arc Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

\u00a9Courtesy of Sony Pictures\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Dating is never easy when you are sixteen, but it is especially hard for a Devil Hunter like Denji. Instead of attending high school, he spends his days patrolling the streets. Technically, he hunts devils, rather than the demons of other famous anime (and KPop<\/a>) franchises, but it is the same general idea. He also happens to have the devil-derived power to manifest bodily chainsaws thanks to his Faustian union with Pochita, the canine-looking Chainsaw Devil.<\/p>\r\n

It is not unusual to have partly devilish Devil Hunters in the not-so secret government-funded Public Safety Organization. His boss, Makima, even has secret powers of her own, but she manipulates the smitten Denji more conventionally\u2014at least until he meets a mysterious young woman in Tatsuya Yoshihara\u2019s Chainsaw Man\u2014The Movie: Reze Arc<\/strong><\/a>, produced by the MAPPA animation house and released by Crunchyroll, which is now playing in theaters.<\/p>\r\n

<\/ins>\u00a0

For fans of Tatsuki Fujimoto\u2019s source manga, the events of Reze Arc<\/strong> hold tragically ironic resonance, in light of the characters\u2019 ultimate fates. Conveniently for viewers of the anime series, the film picks up after the final (so far) twelfth episode. If you are coming in cold, the film presents a relatively self-contained narrative, but newcomers will have to pick up a lot of background context on the fly.<\/p>\r\n

\"Chainsaw\u00a9Courtesy of Sony Pictures\u00a0

At this point, Denji is finally starting to feel comfortable with his Devil hunting duties. His rapport with his roommates, Aki Hayakawa and Power, gives him some sense of belonging, but his crush on Makima keeps him motivated. Power, a horned fiend, must sit out most of the film, because she had consumed too much blood\u2014don\u2019t overthink that too much, Chainsaw Man is not as \u201chorror\u201d-forward as it might sound.

In Power\u2019s absence, her roomies must temporarily break in new partners. Hayakawa instinctively dislikes creepy Angel Devil, who looks exactly like what he sounds. Similarly, Denji finds himself stuck with Beam, a Shark Devil, whose almost feral behavior might remind anime fans of the boar\u2019s mask-wearing Inosuke from the Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba<\/strong><\/a> franchise.

Yes, Beam annoys Denji almost as much as he annoys viewers, but it hardly matters. Denji spends most of the first act worrying about girls. His pseudo-date-night with Makima has its ups and downs, but it ends on a high note. Together, they discover something a lot of film critics already know: you usually need to watch at least ten films to see one great one. Afterward, Denji figures he will just keep plugging away, trying to win her affections, until he meets Reze, totally by chance. Or is it really so random?

Regardless, Denji definitely responds to her sassy charm. They also relate to each other easily, even though he lacks her typical high school experiences. Yet, the film\u2019s vibe clearly suggests something sinister threatens to interrupt their halting teen courtship. Obviously, the assassin stalking Denji at the behest of the Typhoon Devil represents trouble, especially since his M.O. consists of torturing Devil Hunters\u2019 loved ones to demoralize them. Regardless, there will be plenty of fighting when the Bomb Devil crashes a Public Safety field office. Explosions will ensue.<\/p>\r\n

\"Chainsaw\u00a9Courtesy of Sony Pictures\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Still, there might be less action in this anime franchise feature then fans might expect, because Yoshihara and screenwriter Hiroshi Seko devote sufficient time to fully establish Denji\u2019s relationships with Makima and Reze. Consequently, the tragic chaos of the third act hits with surprising force. In fact, the Reze story arc represents a logical choice for a one-off feature, because it holds great significance for Denji as a character, but it largely leaves the overall mythology and narrative throughlines unaltered.

MAPPA\u2019s animation is maybe slightly more cartoony than blockbuster series such as Demon Slayer<\/strong> or Attack on Titan<\/strong><\/a>, but only slightly. Regardless, they render Denji\u2019s chainsaw hands in manner free of camp or irony. Plus, the starkly stylish opening black-and-white dream sequence really grabs the audience\u2019s attention. Evidently, this represents MAPPA\u2019s first R-rated release, perhaps for some \u201cfan service\u201d involving Reze.<\/p>\r\n

<\/ins>\u00a0

Regardless, the human element comes through in Reze Arc<\/strong>, especially when Yoshihara and Seko invite sympathy for the various devils. Newbies will likely leave feeling they still really do not know supporting players like Hayakawa, but they will readily identify with Denji. Yet, for invested fans, Reze\u2019s storyline will likely deepen their appreciation for the characters. Recommended especially for the latter, but also for general anime enthusiasts, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc<\/strong> is now playing in theaters.<\/p>\r\n

\"Chainsaw<\/p>\r\n

\u00a9Courtesy of Sony Pictures\u00a0

Grade<\/strong>: B<\/p>\r\n

If you liked the review, share your thoughts below!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Check out more of Joe’s articles.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Here’s the trailer of the film.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n