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Sumptuous animation and an evocative musical score take one on a journey through a world whose similarity to our own is enhanced by its subtle differences.The space race of the twentieth century is portrayed not only as a contest between war and peace, but also between mere subsistence existence and the drive to better ourselves. Add to that a touch of spirituality, and one has a deep, philosophical drama which thrives upon the freedom and beauty provided by animation.The plot: Two rival nations are vying for political and military dominance. The much ridiculed fledgling space program becomes a pawn in this power struggle as one nation tries to use it as a propaganda tool and bait to lure its rival into war. No one expects a real, working rocket ship to be created.At the center of the conflict is the brave, volunteer test pilot, who is transformed overnight from an air-force reject to the symbol of the new era. His physical ordeal of surviving the rigors of flight training, not to mention the assassination attempts, becomes secondary to his attempts to justify the vast resources expended on the project while people are living in poverty just outside the training center.Finally, all worldly issues are transcended as the rocket actually lifts off (with stunning animation), much to the amazement of the troops fighting over its possession.
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