Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution 2025 Movie Review
Having just finished a viewing of Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, I came away feeling more disappointed than I expected. As a fan of the series, I went in with excitement, hoping for a film that would meaningfully extend the story or offer something new in terms of tone or perspective. Instead, what I got felt more like a stopgap, a rushed, uneven and confusing experience that struggles to justify its place as a standalone film.
The film, which runs for roughly ninety minutes, follows Yuji Itadori’s journey as a jujutsu sorcerer. In theory, this sounds like an appealing setup — a chance to explore the aftermath of the breathtaking Shibuya Incident and see how the characters have evolved. However, the execution (ironically, given the title) leaves much to be desired. The first forty minutes are essentially a rapid-fire recap of the Shibuya Incident arc from Season 2, seventeen episodes of dense storytelling, compressed into less than half a movie. The result is a blur of names, fights and exposition that sacrifices coherence for speed.
This recap approach might work for die-hard fans who want a cinematic refresher, but for casual viewers, or those less familiar with the series, it’s almost incomprehensible. Important character relationships and motivations are reduced to quick flashbacks or brief lines of dialogue. There’s little room to breathe or emotionally connect with the events onscreen. Even for long-time fans, it’s hard to invest when the story feels more like a highlight reel than a cohesive narrative.
Once the film finally transitions into new material, essentially the first two episodes of the upcoming Season 3 and the beginning of the Culling Games, it becomes clear that Execution is less a movie and more a glorified advertisement for the next chapter of the anime. The story abruptly shifts tone and pacing, as if viewers are being asked to sit through a recap before the main feature can begin. While these new sequences are intriguing in concept, and do hint at promising developments to come, their inclusion here only emphasises how disjointed the entire film feels.
From a technical standpoint, Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution showcases both the strengths and weaknesses of the series’ production style. The animation, typically one of the show’s defining features, feels oddly inconsistent here, relying heavily on visual effects, motion blurs, explosions, and sound effects, to simulate movement rather than actually animating it. This isn’t unusual for anime, but the shortcuts are more obvious in a theatrical setting, where audiences expect smoother, more dynamic visuals. Often this is made up for in fight scenes, but it really felt off. In several key action scenes, the camera work and editing are so frantic that it becomes difficult to appreciate the choreography or sense of impact that Jujutsu Kaisen is usually known for.
That said, the film’s music deserves praise. The score, composed with the same energy and emotional resonance that carried the television series, remains a highlight. It enhances the tension and drama even when the visuals or pacing fall flat. The sound design overall is strong, and this does add a lot to what we see on the screen.
Ultimately, Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution feels like a missed opportunity. It could have been a better bridge between seasons, a deeper character study or a fresh, self-contained story, even filler would be welcome in this case! Instead, it functions as a recap and a preview stitched together without much thought for narrative flow. After seeing the new Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man films, this feels like a distant third place for the new big three. It’s upsetting, as Jujutsu Kaisen has long been my favourite series of the group. Hardcore fans might appreciate seeing familiar moments on the big screen with this on, especially with upgraded presentation, but for most viewers, it will feel redundant and poorly structured.
In the end, Execution doesn’t stand on its own as a film. It’s too dependent on prior knowledge to be accessible, and too repetitive to feel exciting for long-time followers. While there are moments of energy and emotional weight, they’re buried under a pile of rushed storytelling and inconsistent animation. The music may carry it at times, but no soundtrack can save a film that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. In conclusion, fans might enjoy the nostalgia, but newcomers, and even seasoned viewers, will likely leave the theatre confused and underwhelmed. I hate to say this, but read the manga instead.
