|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 'Aeon Flux' Is Dreary Sci-Fi |
| If you're not a fan of 'Flux' already, just stay home |
|
Brian Orndorf (briano)  |
 Email Article
 Print Article
|
|
|
|
Published 2005-12-03 17:07 (KST) |
|
|
|
 | | | | | | ©2005 MTV Films | | When a virus wipes out 99 percent of the population in 2011, those that remain are placed under the care of Dr. Goodchild (Marton Csokas), a scientist who found a cure. Now 400 years later, Goodchild's utopia, Bregna (the last city on Earth), is a breeding ground of corruption and treachery. There is an underground rebellion brewing, led by the Monicans and their greatest warrior, Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron). Given the order to assassinate Goodchild, Aeon plunges deep in Bregna, only to discover that the evil she's anticipating is nowhere to be found, and that the truth behind Bregna could topple the city for good.
Why is it that every sci-fi bonanza recently released needs a good, long weekend of DVD rentals to fully appreciate the experience? Coming so soon after "Serenity" is "Aeon Flux," adapted from the animated show that aired on MTV in the mid-1990s. For fans of the series, the plot and general design of the film will be familiar and even passable if you squint hard. However, if you couldn't tell the difference between a Flux from an Aeon before you walk into the theater, be prepared to make this response to the picture: "whaaa?"
 |  | | | | | | ©2005 MTV Films | Stepping up to the Hollywood sell-out big leagues is Karyn Kusama, who made the critically adored indie flick "Girlfight" back in 2000. Kusama is well intentioned with "Flux," yearning to create a future world populated with female superheroes, but she's in way over her head.
For starters, the production design is broad and aggressive, indulging in all those obvious sci-fi touches that typically accompany a basic cable production. The costumes are also a source of comedy, with Theron in a series of outfits that call attention to themselves instead of being integral to the character. All the actors are forced to wear very silly costumes and wacky haircuts, making me wonder why Kusama didn't just paint "this is the future!" on the bottom of her frame and give poor Pete Postlethwaite a break from wearing the future equivalent of a Hostess fruit pie wrapper. Poor guy.
After a short while "Flux" gets pretty visually outlandish, and not in entertaining, resourceful ways. The film eventually settles on a look similar to the wet dream of a 12 year-old boy, as produced by Matthew Barney. Not really the stuff of visionary sci-fi.
Kusama backs herself into a corner further by being so careless with the story, relying strongly on audience familiarity with the world and the characters. There's not much for the average viewer to embrace with "Flux," and the director struggles keeping the convoluted story straight even for the fans. Kusama keeps such a tight eye on the visual portion of the film, it's as if she doesn't realize that all her actors are speaking in a droning monotone the entire film, or that her plot could cure insomnia. Under Kusama's watch, "Flux" is dreary, uninspired genre droppings that are all too common these days.
Paid the big bucks to step into Aeon's spandex bodysuit, it is nice to see Charlize Theron exercise her looks again, which she's spent the last few years trying to ignore. Theron is paralyzed by the static world Kusama has surrounded her with, but she cuts an impressive figure, slinking around the frame in all sorts of skintight costumes, which will likely make this the most paused DVD of 2006. Theron is unsteady as an action hero (with combat sequences cut to shreds by the editors), but she has the glare down, and, surrounded by achingly boring actors like Csokas, is consistently the only interesting person in the film.
"Aeon Flux" goes through the blockbuster storytelling motions for the climax, but what exactly is it paying off? This is such a goofball production that the only way it could've ended appropriately is for Kusama to jump in front of the camera at the end and apologize for taking on a massive production that she obviously couldn't juggle.
D
|
|
©2005 OhmyNews
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
How worried are you about the H1N1 influenza virus? |
|
 |
| * Vote to see the result. |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RSS
Del.icio.us
Digg 
reddit
Y! MyWeb
Comments Note: Kindly refrain from personal attacks and profanity.
.jpg)
