Plot
In 2054, Paris is a labyrinth where all movement is monitored and recorded. Casting a shadow over everything is the city's largest company, Avalon, which insinuates itself into every aspect of contemporary life to sell its primary export -- youth and beauty. In this world of stark contrasts and rigid laws the populace is kept in line and accounted for.
Release Year: 2006
Rating: 6.7/10 (9,592 voted)
Critic's Score: 57/100
Director:
Christian Volckman
Stars: Daniel Craig, Catherine McCormack, Jonathan Pryce
Storyline Paris, 2042: a dark motion-captured world of shadows and right angles. Ilona Tasuiev, a brilliant young scientist, is kidnapped, and her employer, Avalon, a major health and beauty corporation, wants her found. Karas, a jaded police captain, is assigned to find her, fast. He seeks help from her sister, Bislane, and they are soon uncovering identify theft, missing files, and hints that something back in 2006 may explain what's going on. Ilona's mentor, Avalon's vice president, a Japanese researcher, an underworld boss, and Bislane's drug connection all figure in the mix. So does an attraction between Karas and Bislane. What's behind the kidnapping? Who's the victim?
Writers: Alexandre de La Patellière, Mathieu Delaporte
Cast: Daniel Craig
-
Barthélémy Karas
(voice)
Romola Garai
-
Ilona Tasuiev
(voice)
Ian Holm
-
Jonas Muller
(voice)
Kevork Malikyan
-
Nusrat Farfella
(voice)
Catherine McCormack
-
Bislane Tasuiev
(voice)
Jonathan Pryce
-
Paul Dellenbach
(voice)
Robert Dauney
-
Karas
(voice)
Crystal Shepherd-Cross
-
Bislane
(voice)
Isabelle Van Waes
-
Ilona
(voice)
(as Isabelle Van Waess)
Max Hayter
-
Dellenbach
(voice)
Marco Lorenzini
-
Muller
(voice)
Jerome Causse
-
Amiel
(voice)
Clémentine Baert
-
Nurses
(voice)
Chris Bearne
-
Parisian
(voice)
David Benito
-
Nayhib
(voice)
Opening Weekend: $10,800
(USA)
(24 September 2006)
(2 Screens)
Gross: $63,260
(USA)
(15 October 2006)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Renaissance took six years to complete on a budget of 15 million dollars.
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes:
The movie is set in 2054, this is shown at the beginning, where the date "Oct 12 2054" is given in the Avalon advertisement. Throughout the movie, Ilona is said to be 22 years old, so she should be born around 2034. However, when she is abducted in the beginning, her passport is falling to the ground and her date of birth is visible as "24/06/2020". So either the movie plays in 2042 or the d.o.b. in her passport is wrong.
Quotes:
Billboard Woman:
I like being beautiful. I like to stay fit. That's why I like Avalon. With Avalon, I know I'm beautiful. And I'm going to stay that way.
Announcer:
Avalon. For a better world.
Billboard Woman:
Health. Beauty. Longevity. Avalon. We're on your side. For life.
User Review
Breath taking graphics, great story
Rating: 7/10
I've seen this film in avant-premiere at Imagina Festival in Monaco.
I saw the first trailer four years ago, and from this moment, I was
waiting to see the final result. I haven't been disappointed.
It is a full 3d movie with a high contrasted black and white render.
Clearly inspired by some comic books, such as the ones from F. Miller.
In this optic, it goes one step further than the excellent "Sin City"
adaptation from R. Rodriguez. This time, (almost) no Grey or any middle
color, but a graphic style never seen before in a realistic animated
film.(can't wait for scanner darkly)
The massive use of Motion Capture gives a lot of life and credibility
to the characters and we forget really soon the technical aspect to
concentrate on more classic elements, such as direction or plot. The
direction stays sober and controlled despite the infinite possibilities
of the medium, and that is a really good surprise.
The futuristic story (Paris 2053) makes it a classic sci-fiction movie
and maintain the viewer interested till the end. Despite a classic base
plot (an investigation that goes far beyond initial expectations)the
atmosphere and some interesting recurring themes (genetics, absolute
power of certain firms...)gives this movie a great interest.
Despite it is an animated film, this one is obviously not made for
children. You won't find here any funny pet or any stupid family moral,
only the cold reality. It is far closer to a good film noir.
I found that the setting is one of the best aspect of the film: we
still feel the well known Paris, but it is morphed by a fine touch of
futurism.
Nevertheless, I regret a few mistakes. The montage is sometimes a bit
flat, one or two very cliché slow motion effects and some poor dialogs.
Even though the technical is excellent, it shows its limits in some
romantic sequences (a bit like "final fantasy" did). Those little
things makes it a 7/10.
Altogether, it is a successful artistic challenge that you have to
watch if you can. The director, Christian Volckman, knows how not to
fall into potential traps (luckyly, they didn't ask John Woo to do the
job!).
To conclude, it is a film with blasting visuals, an intelligent story
and a wonderful art direction. Watch it if you can!
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