• Studio: Gkids
  • Release Date: Dec 29, 2010
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 19 Ratings

  • Summary: When teenage math prodigy Kenji solves a 2,056 digit math riddle sent to his cell phone, he unwittingly breaches the security barricade protecting Oz, a globe-spanning virtual world where millions of people and governments interact through their avatars, handling everything from online shopping and traffic control, to nuclear launch codes. Now a malicious AI program called Love Machine is hijacking Oz accounts, growing exponentially more powerful and sowing chaos and destruction in its wake. SUMMER WARS is a visual tour-de-force, with the amazing world of Oz as the highlight. Like the Internet as conceived by pop artist Haruki Murakami, Oz is a hallucinatory pixel parade of cool avatar designs, kung fu jackrabbits, toothy bears, and a bursting rainbow of colors. (GKIDS) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 12
  2. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Reviewed by: Frank Scheck
    Jan 4, 2011
    80
    Running almost two hours, its increasingly convoluted narrative may be too difficult to follow for younger viewers. But its thematic ambition and dazzling visual style ultimately make it one of the more rewarding anime efforts to reach these shores.
  2. Reviewed by: Kevin Thomas
    Jan 6, 2011
    80
    Hosoda, who directed the cult film "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time," has made a sophisticated yet poignant family entertainment with an appeal beyond Japanese animation buffs.
  3. Reviewed by: Nick Schager
    Dec 30, 2010
    80
    Summer Wars surprisingly celebrates togetherness and bravery as much as binary-mathematics expertise, all helped along by a kick-ass synthesis of traditional hand-drawn scenes and fluid, rainbow-explosive CG artistry.
  4. Reviewed by: Stephanie Merry
    Jan 13, 2011
    50
    Considering it's anime, Summer Wars starts out more like a bad romantic comedy.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. This is 1 of the best movies ever.Seeing Japan nearly 99.9% technology it has an aura to PC gamers.u fight in a computer based reality for the sake of humanity in japan. Expand
  2. This film wasn't what I expected at all, but it was more of a pleasant suprize than anything else. The animation, while being goregous, isn't too overdone, and the cg elements implement wonderfully. If you have not seen its predecessor, "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" definately check it out too. This story actually has a great message about family and respect, and is definatey worth the look. Expand
  3. This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Whenever I watch this movie a can't help but think of the first digimon movie, and who could blame when the visionary director from that film is the director of this one. Boy you can see the differences clearly. I'm not here to talk about that film, but this great film. The idea of having a plot revolved around the uses of computers is interesting and unique. This film has spectacular animation, it's a joy to watch the action and fun to see such expressions on characters. The main plot is that of a math student being invited to help his friend with her family dilemmas, and along the way comes an A.I that plans on creating chaos through a cyber network called Oz. As crazy as that plot might sound, it's handled pretty. You get to know the main characters pretty, and can feel bad for what happens to them. There's also this Granny character who's the main purpose of the plot until the fate of millions is at hands. The character was so inspiring, wanting others to always try and help others, even when she dies her will is for her family to not grieve over her and just go on with their everyday lives. The animation again is very "cool"; by that it sort of will only please a certain demographic, and it's clear in its action sequences. It has this very crouching tiger hidden dragon feel to it, but to that is one of the films problems: I feel that action scenes; while pretty, can be either distracting or too good. It seems that these scenes might have been better in an action sci-fi than this drama. Also, the supporting cast of characters aren't really that important; in fact you could argue saying pointless, but could possibly be there be sues how one person has effected so many people. However with all that said, this is still fun to watch, and still has an emotional depth to it to make it still have substance. Expand
  4. "Summer Wars" is way too light and active with a brighter tone compared to its fellow Japanese animations, which easily loses focus on its point. However what I could tell you is that you're gonna have one hell of fun. Expand

See all 7 User Reviews

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