Aeon Flux [Blu-ray]

Aeon Flux [Blu-ray] Review

Aeon Flux (2005) is a slick science fiction adventure, with Aeon being a sleek, attractive, and athletic heroine. The character is taken from an animated MTV short, created by Peter Chung. Substantial changes were made in order to develop a suitable full length story, and to allow for the adaptation of an animated adventure, to a real life format. The story is complicated, but holds together pretty well, and features various futuristic sets, numerous action sequences, and impressive special effects.

In order to survive a deadly plague, drastic measures were required, and the last remnants of humanity live in a city with walls along its perimeter, called Bregna. Life seems ideal, but a small organization, known as the Monicans seeks to destroy the government structure. Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron), is an elite guerilla operative for the Monicans, who receives instructions telepathically, from the Handler (Frances McDormand). Her next mission is huge, to assassinate the head of the government, Trevor Goodchild (Marton Csokas). Tragically, before she is about to embark, Aeon's sister Una (Amelia Warner) is shot, apparently for being suspected as a Monican.

Oren Goodchild (Jonny Lee Miller), is also a member of the Government, believing his brother Trevor is not with the program, he hatches a scheme to eliminate his older sibling using the Monicans. With the help of Sithandra (Sophie Okonedo) another elite operative, Aeon enters the Cidadel, the seat of the government, and gets into position to complete her mission, but when face to face with Goodchild, Aeon hesitates, and is captured. Things take a dramatic turn when Aeon learns the truth about Trevor, and the work he has been involved in. The two team up to try and survive the Bregnan government, and the Monicans, who regard Aeon as a traitor.

The film shifts into a high action mode in the final stretch. There are some shaky, over the edge moments, but the result are exciting, stylized, and dramatic. Whether the resolution is palatable, is another matter, as Aeon makes a decision that all humanity must live with.

After Charlize Theron won an Oscar for Monster (2003), by her own admission, she did no major physical training, and needed to get in top shape for her physical demanding role as Aeon Flux. Theron and Sophie Okonedo, both tall and athletic, underwent similar training regimes, eventually training together. Remarkably, Theron did almost all of her own stunts, and amazed the production crew with her physical ability and timing. Her acrobatic performance, in a skin tight suit, is quite impressive, as is that of Okonedo whose character has hands for feet.

The future world of Aeon Flux is intriguing, and semi-understandable, but with many mysterious elements. There are theatrical show pieces like the cathedral where the Handler gives directions, a and blimp that flies over the city, and interdimensional transitions, that are really not explained. The unique architecture of Berlin was featured, and helps give the film an certain ambiance and futuristic look. Director Karyn Kusama (Jennifer's Body), whose only previous experience was Girlfight (2000), does a quite remarkable job in a challenging project. The screenplay by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, apparently covered much more ground, and may have filled in some of the gaps. Some 30 minutes was reportedly deleted from the director's cut, for the theatrical release. Some may feel that the liberties taken with the character, had already gone too far. Creator Peter Chung, apparently had some problems with the film.

The blu-ray disc does not contain the director's cut, but appears to contain the same 92 minute version of the film, as well as the extras from the Special Collector's Edition. This includes two separate commentary tracks, and a number of informative featurettes. Graeme Revell contributes a cool score for the film. Although perhaps an incomplete vision, for some thoughtful science fiction, with some stylized action, Aeon Flux is worth a look. Based on her performance here, Charlize Theron has great potential in the action genre, and hopefully she will pursue this avenue at some future time.

Aeon Flux [Blu-ray] Overview

400 years in the future, after a virus decimates the world population, only one city on Earth remains. Ruled by the Goodchild dynasty, it is a perfect society of peace and prosperity - except that its citizens keep mysteriously disappearing. Charlize Theron stars as Aeon Flux, a secret agent/assassin/warrior whose mission is to bring down the regime. But as she goes deeper into her mission, Aeon uncovers some shocking secrets that put the mission -- and her life -- in danger.

Aeon Flux [Blu-ray] Specifications

Like the animated series it's based on, Aeon Flux is the kind of sci-fi that's best appreciated by the MTV generation. It's a serious attempt at stylized, futuristic action/adventure (the title character, played by Charlize Theron, is essentially a female James Bond for the cyberpunk era) and taken for what it is, it's not all that bad. The action takes place in the year 2415, four centuries after a virus nearly decimated the human race, leaving only five million survivors in a utopian city called Bregna. Aeon belongs to the Monicans, a secret rebel resistance force that is struggling to destroy the Goodchild regime led by its namesake, Trevor Goodchild (Martin Csokas), the ruler of Bregna and a descendant of the man who found a cure for the deadly virus. As instructed by the Handler (Frances McDormand, gamely playing along in ridiculous sci-fi regalia), Aeon is assigned to assassinate Goodchild, but there are deeper secrets to be discovered, and conspiracies to be foiled. This leads director Karyn Kusama (who fared much better with her debut feature Girlfight) to indulge in all sorts of routine action and fast-paced gunplay, but the elusive pleasures of Aeon Flux are mostly found in the sleek athleticism of Theron and costar Sophie Okonedo (as a fellow Monican), who commit themselves 100% to roles that are dramatically flat yet physically dynamic. Other highlights include Aeon's high-tech gadgetry (including an eyeball that doubles as a microsocope) and the amusing sight of Pete Postlethwaite in a costume resembling a construction-site disposal tube, but Flux fans may wonder what happened to the surreal, chromium sheen future that gave the MTV series its visionary appeal. As a live-action feature, Aeon Flux is a miscalculated exercise in cheesy style and dour tone, but it's entertaining enough to earn a small cadre of admirers. --Jeff Shannon

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