Solo Levelling: ReAwakening review - Frivolous retreading belies a brilliant anime

I’m going to get this out of the way up front. I’m not a fan of this current trend of launching a ‘film’ based on a hit anime only for the opening half or more to retread significant portions of the show. This is exactly what happens with Solo Levelling: ReAwakening. The first hour and 15 minutes of the film are highlights from season one of the show which has been playing on Crunchyroll, followed by the first two episodes of the new season.

Sure, it’s a great way to bring in new viewers, but even with the succinct storytelling of the recap, it still leaves out a great deal before steaming into two new episodes which don’t feel at all like a film. Then, for viewers of the anime, it acts as a very long preamble before showing what most of us actually came for - new episodes.

For the purposes of this review, I will forgo the retelling part of this and recommend you watch the first season. It builds up the brilliant character of Sung Jinwoo who is a low-level hunter, one of the worst in the world, who suddenly discovers a gaming-like system running the world of dungeons where precious resources are mined.

He quickly becomes one of the most powerful hunters, and his power seems to be leading him to very dark decisions and actions that will change his life. It’s worth watching for him alone, as you never really know whether to love him or be suspicious of him. Though, you’ll stay for the bone-crunching, bloody action scenes that carry a sense of chaotic action to them. And it’s very much the action that we’re here for. Yes, the show does feature some great undertones and a sinister touch within its story, but we don’t come to this anime for that, we’re here for battles.

Crunchyroll

And while the action is still great and the film showcases some of the better moments from the first season, it is just a recap and you aren’t seeing anything new. There’s no doubting though that it’s worth watching the stunning animation over and again, if you feel inclined. So, you can skip the opening half of this project unless, like me, you’ve got an ageing brain that forgets crucial plot points, and get right into the meat of why we’re here: the first two episodes of season two of Solo Levelling make up the latter half of the film.

While I’d like to say these episodes warrant a filmic outing, I’d be lying. That’s not to say I didn’t walk away from this filled with excitement and glee that a great show is back. The episodes are fine and pick up a while after season one finishes with Sung Jinwoo coming to terms with his level of power. He’s thrown into a new dungeon filled with other heroes and faces off against his toughest threat yet.

It’s a tidy story that fits this format as Jinwoo enters the dungeon and the gate turns red, meaning it’s ultra difficult to clear and the enemies within can kill even high level hunters. Taking place over a few days, we see Jinwoo lead a party of hunters who would otherwise be cannon fodder, and this really emphasises not only his raw power to protect others, but his attitudes changing based on how he can wield that power. One thing I love about this show, and particularly this film, is how the creators deal with a normal person being bestowed with so much raw power. There's a sense of fear to how this will play out, almost in a voyeuristic way.

Crunchyroll

Of course, I won’t spoil any of the details, but I will say that it seems the already staggering animation has stepped up with the epic battle in the final 20 minutes feeling visceral and charged with fury. Then there are some intriguing moments that will inevitably lead to bigger story beats playing out - something some might argue was missing from the first season.

Perhaps the finest thing this movie does is offer up potential. Not that you’d feel short-changed by what’s here, it ends on a delectable cliffhanger moment that forces viewers to see Jinwoo differently. What I mean is that these episodes set up so much in so little time: battles between guilds, who holds the ultimate power over the dungeon gates, how much does Jinwoo succumb to his power, and what the hierarchy of rankings means for everyone. You can expect the same level of action we’ve seen throughout the first season, but I’d say you can also expect a lot more character development based purely on these two episodes.

While I’d argue that fans didn’t need this film, it is a great way to bring more eyes to the series. Perhaps it will become the best way to watch the new episodes. I certainly had fun despite my reservations of watching a lot of recapping. Regardless, Solo Levelling: ReAwakening is a taste of what’s to come, and it seems like this story is only going to get better and better.