This image released by Twentieth Century Fox shows the character Alita, voiced by Rosa Salazar, in a scene from "Alita: Battle Angel." (Twentieth Century Fox via AP)

I had been seeing trailers for “Alita: Battle Angel,” the big budget spectacle that was pushed back three times before getting an unceremonious February release, for what feels like over half a year and could not find the ability to care about seeing it at all.

I was expecting a train wreck; now I am demanding a sequel.

Based on the manga (Japanese comic book/graphic novel), “Gunnm,” “Alita: Battle Angel” is the story of Alita (Rosa Salazar), a cyborg with a human brain, rebuilt by Dr. Dyson (Christoph Waltz). Dyson helped rebuild her with a mechanical body he made for his late daughter.

Rating: ****1/2 (out of 5)

Alita doesn’t remember her life before waking up in Dyson’s house, but it’s clear that she has impressive fighting skills and an unconscious desire to protect people.

Dyson is protective of her, as people roam the streets at night attacking those with mechanical bodies to sell parts on the black market. Much of these parts find their way to help rebuild Motorball players. She meets Hugo (Keean Johnson), who teaches her about Motorball and chocolate. Inevitably the two fall in love.

As Alita struggles to remember her past, she finds her future is that of a warrior, no matter how much Dyson tries to prevent this. She becomes the target of Nova, a mysterious scientist who can transfer his consciousness into his subjects.

He instructs Dr. Chiren (Jennifer Connolly), Dyson’s ex-wife, and Vector (Mahershala Ali), a corrupt Motorball backer, to kill Alita and bring back her parts. 

“Alita: Battle Angel” is directed by Robert Rodriguez, who has had a wildly unique film career. His works have swung between violent, grindhouse type of cinema such as “Desperado,” “Sin City,” and “Planet Terror” to family friendly fare, such as “Spy Kids” and “The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl.”

I respect him because he puts so much into each film he makes – writing, directing, the score, editing, the FX and even sometimes raising the money to make the film.

Here he partners with James Cameron, the visionary behind “The Terminator,” “Aliens,” “Titanic,” and (ugh) “Avatar.” This is easily the biggest budget Rodriguez has worked with, which could be a huge gamble for a man who began his career raising $7,000 as a medical test subject to fund his first film.

Rodriguez stepped up to the challenge and has made not only the most visually stunning film of his career, but his best in over a decade. “Alita” may not be original material but he definitely put his stamp on it. It’s a marvel of a motion picture and one that is sure to excite fans of the manga and just fans of big, epic movies as well. And this is a BIG epic movie.

There is a large amount of story, which means not a single moment can be wasted.  This is a fun, gorgeous film and one that is made to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

“Alita: Battle Angel” is so far one of the great films of 2019. I hope gets a sequel.