Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

Mars. Days before Halloween, 2071. Villains blow up a tanker truck on Highway One, releasing a deadly virus that kills hundreds. Fearing a bigger, even more devastating biochemical attack, an astronomical reward is offered for the arrest and capture of the person behind the destruction. On the spaceship “Bebop,” martial arts expert Spike Spiegel and his motley crew of wise-cracking bounty hunters (cyborg ex-cop Jet Black, sexy pilot Faye Valentine, hacker wonder kid Edward and brainy dog Ein) are bored and short of cash. But with the news of the reward everything changes, kicking off a wild adventure with the fate of the universe hanging in the balance. Based on Cowboy Bebop, the wildly popular 1998 TV series created by Shinichirô Watanabe (which ran for only 24 episodes, but whose impact can still be felt today in such cult hits as Firefly/Serenity), the big-screen adventure Cowboy Bebop: The Movie pits Spike and Co. against their deadliest adversary ever. Featuring stunning, state-of-the-art animation, an eclectic soundtrack and plenty of ultra-cool attitude, this action-packed sci-fi thriller builds to a breath-taking, nail-biting climax, one guaranteed to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat. (Dir. By Shinichirô Watanabe, 2001, Japan, in Japanese with subtitles, 115 mins., Rated R)