Amazon.com reviews for
"Samurai Jack" (2001) More at IMDbPro »

Samurai Jack - The Premiere Movie (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: The graphically inventive feature that introduced the Cartoon Network series owes as much to the cartoons of UPA and Chuck Jones as it does to anime. The title character is a prince whose family has fought the evil demon Aku for control of their fanciful Asian kingdom for ages. During an intense battle, Jack is hurled into a future city ruled by Aku and his henchmen-robots. After aiding some talking dogs, Jack vows to continue his struggle against Aku and return to own time. The angular, minimal visuals are effective and eclectic: Aku's face is modeled on Sri Lankan demon masks, and the characters move in ways that fit their stylized designs. Unfortunately, the writing falls short of the visuals--the talking dogs would feel more at home in a "Ren and Stimpy" cartoon than in this imaginative adventure. Unrated. Suitable for ages 8 and older: cartoon violence. --Charles Solomon