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Posting the review I wrote for the school paper: It seems like everyone was expecting the film version of Aeon Flux to be cinematic garbage. For a variety of reasons, it seemed almost predestined to be a poor successor to the original animated series. For example, the original show actively rebelled against the bounds of continuity; much like Kenny from South Park, the main character, Aeon, died at the end of many of the episodes and vignettes. This type of plot structure is disruptive in a way that many would have a hard time enjoying; I'm sure it was one of the first features of the original program to be removed from the adaptation. Furthermore, given that the film was rated PG-13, I expected much of the sexual and violent content to be dumbed down, rendering the entire project a waste of time. However, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. While not a superb film, it was much better than I'm sure anyone could have anticipated. While there are details that were left out from the original series, the core of the story remains. Aeon Flux is a citizen of Bregna, a seemingly utopian society. It was built to house the 5 million survivors of a plague that swept the Earth 400 years prior to the beginning of the film. Although this society seems perfect, there are numerous problems. Random people continue to disappear off the streets, and the leaders of the society are unquestionable. A rebel organization, the Monicans, has formed to forcibly depose the leader of Bregna, a scientist named Trevor Goodchild. As it happens, Aeon is a member of the rebels. When she is sent on a mission to kill Goodchild, she seems predestined to succeed. However, one spoken word from Goodchild unlocks a mystery that threatens to destroy both Aeon and the society of Bregna. The plot of Aeon Flux is handled very well. Although there are some confusing parts, the majority of the film remains straightforward even as it refuses to pander to its audience. Aeon Flux forces one to think in order to understand its plot, something I find admirable in a film. In addition, the twists and turns of the story never seem forced or thrown in, a trait that other filmmakers could stand to learn from. The atmosphere of the film is handled in a remarkable and unique fashion. In general, films that depict the future portray their societies as technologically advanced. Electronic toys run rampant in these movies. In contrast, Aeon Flux shows what happens when biology, not computer and electronic engineering, is allowed to run rampant. Thus, rather than presenting a future of flying cars and laser rifles, we instead see drugs tailor-made to allow communication between two people and fruit-like sentry turrets grown from trees. This aspect of Aeon Flux was quite refreshing. Aeon Flux also does a decent job of portraying the atmosphere of the cartoons. Although the characters don't look very much like the citizens of Bregna as portrayed by animator Peter Chung, I can sympathize with the director, as I am sure it is quite difficult to realistically depict people whose waists are the size of their heads. The essence of the cartoon is still there, although it has been dampened down quite a bit to fit the PG-13 rating. The violence is more stylistic than graphic, and the sexual aspects of the original show are essentially gone. However, the film still does its job capably, and although the creators of Aeon Flux definitely should have aimed for an R rating, I was still pleased with the overall product. The acting was fairly capable. Charlize Theron doesn't exactly reprise her Oscar-winning performance in Monster, but performs admirably well as eye candy. The rest of the cast is merely decent. I was, however, pleased to see that Jonny Lee Miller (of Hackers fame) and Kobayashi from The Usual Suspects are still getting work, and I hope that this trend continues into the foreseeable future. As it turns out, Aeon Flux is a very capable adaptation of the television series. Although my fears were correct in that a great deal of content didn't carry over from the show, the style does, to some degree, remain. In addition, Aeon Flux adds to the universe of the original show in a manner much more pleasing to the mental palate than some other directors (I'm looking at you, George Lucas). I would have been pleased if Aeon Flux merely failed to disappoint me. However, it actually ended up being a satisfying viewing experience. Although my recommendation to see it is tempered with the caveat that catching a matinee showing would be a good idea, it nevertheless remains a good recommendation. Rating: 4.0
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Dec 8, 2005 10:27
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 10:25 |
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