Aeon Flux [Blu-ray] [2006] [US Import] [2005]

Aeon Flux is a film that was released last year starring Academy Award winning actress Charlize Theron.

A virus kills 99% of the world's population and a scientist called Trevor Goodchild develops a cure. 400 years later, the survivors live in the city of Bregna which lies inside large walls that nobody crosses. Some call Bregna the perfect society, pollution is very low and the people seem to be very healthy and happy. But others notice things that others ignore, people go missing without explanation and people turn their back on it because they have total faith in their government, but others no better. A group of rebels emerge called the Monachans, as they attempt to overthrow the government, Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron) is their best hope of success.

The plot is surprisingly stronger than what I expected. It isn't anything original; everything has all been done before, it ticks all the boxes for what you would expect from a sci-fi movie, but this doesn't make it bad at all. Along the way there are some genuinely surprising twists in the storyline that keep you interested, and the settings are all fantastic so you really do feel linked to the world they are living in. Again the story has its down sides, it is vaguely told and it often tails off on itself making you fill in the blanks.

The characters in Aeon Flux are great. The costumes range from being eccentric to the truly bizarre. Character development is quite weak even Aeon is a little wooden, although Charlize puts up another great performance. I have already mentioned that the setting are very good, they actually remind me a lot of the locations in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The action scenes are where this film shines, Charlize worked incredibly hard to achieve her athletic state in the film. 95% of the stunts are all her and after watching the extras on this DVD I now appreciate the action stunts even more. You have gun fights and the brilliant feminine, all acrobatic fighting style that Aeon Flux portrays, and the whole thing looks spectacular on camera. Backed up by a pretty slick soundtrack the action scenes are great fun.

The extras on the DVD contain so surprises but they are interesting if you enjoyed the film. 5 documentaries go into detail about how the film was put together in terms of location, the world they created and other things. The best of all is the stunts documentary because the wire work is amazing and Charlize is great at doing them!

As a whole Aeon Flux is very entertaining. A half-baked but fairly decent plot helps along the great action sequences. I do recommend this DVD because it's a very fun film and the extras are enjoyable as they add a layer of depth to the film. One more thing the DVD has a cool shiny case ^_^

a lot of people compare this film too the comic it is based on. i never knew the comic existed, so i watched the film from a totally "innocent" perspective, if that is the right term. with this in mind, i think it is a fantastic film for it's overall visual aspect of a future world set after a devastating plague. the overall story is fine but the action sequences are really what makes this film great. i have the dvd version aswell as the blu-ray, and i can definately say that the blu version is superior for picture and sound quality. mind you, of over 30 films that i have compared so far, EVERY blu version has been superior too their dvd version. if someone says they cannot see any difference, or it isn't worth buying the blu version for the "slight gain" in picture quality, then they are probably in need of an upgrade of their equipment. it's always good to have something better. i realize some people may not like this review of the film itself, but come on people, it's just a work of fiction, enjoy the film for what it is and don't get hung-up on life.

It's puzzling why this film was so derided on its original release. Clearly, it is not a classic, but it is enjoyable enough - one can only think that the media were out to get Charlize Theron after her recent Oscar win.

It is the future - a short time from now a disease wipes out 99% of the population, until Trevor Goodchild finds a cure. Now as the movie starts it is 400 years later and mankind is reduced to living in one walled city. However, there is unrest in this Eutopia and resistance has sprung up, of which Aeon is one. However, events unfold which lead her to question not just her orders but the truth of her very existence. It's a neat set up, and the story is not as trite as you might expect - it has some genuine unexpected directions and a satisfying conclusion.

If the movie has a flaw, it's that it fails to find much heart - the Eutopia is by its nature pristine and cool, but the acting seems to fall into the same trap so that we don't find much humanity to relate to. This future is not just cool but sexy too - almost like an updated version of the future seen in 'Logans Run'. If you have seen the trailer you might be tempted to see this as a special effects movie, but in fact the effects serve the story well.

All in all a satisfying tale, which is crisply photographed and has a cast and art direction which are very easy on the eye. I recommend it for an undemanding evenings entertainment where action is desired, but not at the expense of story.