Part of Midnight Movies: Law & Order: Future Force. See Also: ROBOCOP.

The year is 2029. A female government cyber agent and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of a powerful hacker called The Puppet Master. Created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and codenamed Project 2501, this “hacker” is actually a prototype virtual agent which has now defied its makers by seeking asylum within a new host body outside of the electronic net. Now the two agencies must maneuver against one another in a violent, high-tech race to capture the omnipresent entity.

Seamlessly merging traditional cel animation with the latest computer graphic imagery, this stunning sci-fi spectacle broke through the boundaries of mainstream animation with detailed artistic expression and a uniquely intelligent story line. The film has gone on to inspire a generation of filmmakers and has become the most revered anime feature of all time.

“For sheer mind-expanding sci-fi strangeness this is hard to beat” —Tom Huddleston, Time Out "The first truly adult animation film to reach a level of literary and visual excellence" —James Cameron "An ultra-violent, rocket-paced film—over and out in just over 80 minutes—but it’s a poetic one, too." —Noel Murray, The Dissolve

The Belcourt Theatre does not provide advisories about subject matter or potential triggering content, as sensitivities vary from person to person.

Beyond the synopses, trailers and review links on our website, other sources of information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media and IMDb, as well as through general internet searches.