The central conflict pits Alita against a rogue cyborg surgeon, Vector (Mahershala Ali, having tremendous fun), and his unseen Zalem master, Nova (Edward Norton, in a cameo). Alita’s journey is not just about revenge, but about choosing her own humanity—whether that means a biological heart or a mechanical one that beats with fierce loyalty. The most-discussed element of Alita: Battle Angel is, without question, her eyes. Rather than shrinking Rosa Salazar’s motion-captured face to human proportions, Rodriguez and Cameron made the bold choice to enlarge her eyes, staying faithful to the manga’s iconic aesthetic. Critics called it uncanny; defenders called it essential.
★★★½ (out of 5) Visually stunning, emotionally raw, and narratively overstuffed—Alita is a flawed, heartfelt masterpiece of sci-fi world-building that deserves its second life. Alita Battle Angel 2019
Additionally, Christoph Waltz is oddly cast as the paternal Ido—his eccentric menace is replaced with warm gruffness, which works but feels like a waste. Keean Johnson’s Hugo is bland, and the script (co-written by Cameron and Rodriguez) has clunky dialogue that swings from poetic to painfully on-the-nose. Despite its flaws, Alita left a mark. The film has inspired one of the most passionate fan campaigns since Serenity , with the hashtag #AlitaSequel trending repeatedly. In 2021, Rodriguez confirmed that Cameron and producer Jon Landau were still discussing a follow-up, and in early 2024, Cameron himself said the sequel “is still on the table.” The rise of streaming (especially Disney+, which now houses the film after the Fox acquisition) has given Alita a second life. The central conflict pits Alita against a rogue