Yesterday was one of these days. Feeling active but lazy. Day and evening of chores, short and longer ones with breaks in between, long breaks. Long enough to switch on the TV at some point in time. Too lazy to check the program guide online; Needed to step down my coach to fetch my phone or laptop. Solution... Zap-mode. Going back and fort, fort and back and so on and so fort, it was 20:34 when I - almost unconsciously - stopped zapping. I was drawn to what I was reading...
Aeon Flux
In a distant future, infectious diseases have wiped out most of the world's population (source: Ziggo).
This so much draws a parallel with the Corona / COVID-19 situation we are dealing with at the moment. A few months ago the negative thinkers amongst us would consider such outcome as realistic. "Hmmm, interesting!", I thought.
One of the great shots in the movie. Not just because Carlize is in it, but this architecture of some sort is what I like and the camera guys made some pretty cool shots elevating the movie to a rating of more than just a few points.
(image source)
Reading further...
There is only one protected city, Bregna, which is surrounded by a kind of wall. The city is led by a number of scientists. Aeon Flux is the main fighter of the Monicans, an underground rebel network run by the Handler. When Aeon has to carry out a mission to kill Head of Government Goodchild, she discovers an important secret that leaves her doubting whether she's on the right side (source: Ziggo).
Even more interesting, don't you think? Technocratic Science based government. Could very well be one of the steps we are gonna make in our transition towards something better, much better than we have today. Ok ok, we could also be heading to something worse, much worse than we have today, but I'm generally thinking in positive directions :)
Rebels
Oooowww... Action guaranteed!
Secret
...an important Secret in combination with government... This must be kinda dictatorial regime against freedom fighter; Standard material for many of these kind of movies. But still, a secret; A secret I would only discover when watching the movie!
Charlize
In a split second when I read one of my most favourite Hollywood women - Charlize Theron - was staring as the main character, I decided this break is gonna be a bit longer than the long breaks I was taking the day and evening already. I was sold!
I won't give you any spoilers, nothing you won't discover yourself in the first 10+ minutes into the movie.
Strong Opening...But...
A strong opening for sure! As a good SyFy movie, many extrapolations of the stuff we think will be possible in the - near and the not so near - future, presented in a very interesting way with many features being different to what you know from all the bigger SyFy movies, like Star Wars, Star Trek. Nifty features. Powerful tiny objects. Spicky grass. Message transmission though drinks. Remote hearing. Mind meetings. Whistle controlled tiny metal spheres being more powerful then all the marine soldiers around our global combined. Added to that the great fashion worn by all the characters in the movie. Different styles, but all stylish, catwalk material.
Sexy!
Did Charlize really do this? WOW! Maybe not, who knows. Hollywood can do anything on screen. Her college in the background has one of these great SyFy feature I was talking about: Her feet are hands, so she has two pais of hands, instead just one.
(image source)
Though Charlize did her best, the acting by most was not that great. It was kinda the same as the setting of the movie, the city, the streets, the buildings, the interiors, the sky! Minimalistic modern design. Almost abstract. The interior of the Head of Governments home, I did - and still do - like very much and I wished I would have such home in real life. One of the few places in the movie with warmth; Still minimalist design, but with a soul; Almost. I wouldn't be surprised when we will create robots soon that will do a better job in acting human.
What would a SyFy movie be without special effects? The opening has some, but quickly they gave me a kinda weird feeling. Minimalistic; Kinda cartoonesk, but not really. Soon it became clear the creators must have had a background in game design. Nothing sophisticated; Far from a representation of the real world. Maybe game fans like this style, but somehow it puts me off.
But Charlize is on the screen in most of the scenes and I wanted to know what this city state was about, why and how the power structure was formed, the goal of the rebellions and what the big hidden secret was about. Without Charlize I probably would've stopped watching the movie at some point, but I made it to the end. I must say: "Interesting story"... But I also must admit: "Bad screenplay; Bad acting; Bad effects." Pffff
Turns out Aeon Flux was a cartoon series created in early 90s of last century. Maybe the director wanted to make this movie feel like that series. He failed in my honest opinion in making a great movie. Such a shame!
(image source)
Sorry to Say...
In this case IMDB (source) was spot on... Hmmm, maybe even a little too positive: 5,5 out of 10. I just entered the rating in my Letterbox app and gave it 2,5 stars out of 5. And still I feel this is on the positive side of things. But maybe its also the fact I expected more from this movie. The story is interesting, the fashion cool, with many great SyFy features.
End Then
Later in the evening, just after the movie and another round of - tiny - chores, back to zap-mode again and voila: another movie with Charlize, now on one of our public TV channels. Tully (IMDB)! Charlize is a bit older, more puffy. Mother of two and a third on its way. Totally stressed. Her brother offers to pay for a night nanny. Euh, a what? Yes, a night nanny. Someone who comes in late at night and takes care of the baby until the early morning. Never ever heard of something like that, but cool it exists; Maybe only in movies, don't know about that, didn't investigate. Anyways, one would think: Owww lord, its gonna be such a movie! But when Charlize in her character as a mother said the same on screen, I knew it would not be one of those. I must say; This one is definitely worth watching. Much less action, more emotions, more real life, but at no point in time I was thinking of something else I could do in parallel.
NJOY
all images by edje unless stated otherwise
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I gotta say love cheesy sci-fi and i remember enjoying this movie quite a bit, though not something I would watch over and over.
The Fifth element however, now that is some cheese that only gets better with age. Best Movie Ever.
Hahaha... :) Fifth Element is indeed a cool movie to watch. Doesn't belong to the best SyFy in my book, but good enough for a rewatch :)
Yeah the story is cheesy but the soundtrack, costumes, settings, comedy, cast, cinematography... luc beson is just awesome.
Agree! :)
@tipu curate
Thank you!
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 6/12)
the birdies waited and waited until I called them in again...