Steam Boy

When you get this close to the end of over 30 movies in 10 days, you begin to get a bit burned out. I probably should have enjoyed Steam Boy more than I actually did. I is a huge epic adventure of invention set at the dawn of the industrial age. It is the story of a family of inventors from the grandfather who pioneered steam engine technology, to the father who is at the peak of his career, desiging the most magnificent edifice to Steam technology, and the son, Ray, who is a master at repair and design a very young age.
Ray's grandfather and father have different philosophies of how the science should be used, one wants science to be used for discovery and understanding, the other wants to use science for business and empire building. When they invent a steam ball which can hold a nearly infinite amount of steam pressure, enough to power a flying steam city. All hell breaks loose with Ray in the middle.
The film takes place mostly in London and it has never looked as good as it does with Katsuhiro Otomo's (Akira) animation. This film is as good looking as Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, but in different ways. It leans a little more on the 2D component, but the 3D CGI elements are flawlessly integrated.
For this type of rip-roaring adventure set in the past, the movie feels like it is missing an act however. Nearly half of the film is spent with a battle between an American think tank which is funding Ray's father and the London Guard. This is magnificent, and has that pulp science fiction from the turn of the century feel to it. But it feels like the whole affair is just lacking something extra.
The film is about how mankind handles the power of science. How things turn out afterwards, when man realizes the potential of science is done through stills over the closing credits and is as magnificent in style as is the rest of the film.