Aeon Flux (DVD, 2006, Special Collector's Edition; Widescreen)

The stylized vision of Kayrn Kusama makes this 97 minute version of the film one of the most enjoyable futuristic story-lines I have seen in years. The story is so mind boggling that it very well could come true. On behalf of all the Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Futurists, Zombie, Trekkie, Alien, Germ Warfare, Genetics, and Apocalyptic film enthusiasts out there, I'm going to try and give this review my best shot, even though I could still take some more time to watch this film for the third time. I would not have attempted to write anything about this film after a once over. The story is not a bit confusing, however, has many twist and turns, which makes it even more interesting.

Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron) belongs to an underground group of resistance called the Monicans. They secretly plan to destroy the Goodchild regime since people are secretly dissappearing daily.

The film takes place in the year 2415. Everyone left on the planet (roughly 5 million) live within the walls of a Utopian city named Bregna. Four hundred years have passed since a deadly virus attacked all life, almost erasing its existence. Without Trevor Goodchild (Martin Csokas) as supreme commander, humanity would have perished. The world inside Bregna is drawn in bright, almost psychedelic tones, colors, flashes of light and perfect harmony of design. Life here feels as if we glimpse only into the tiniest part of this strange place as a spectator from another galaxy. A pool of tears acts as CCTV for the entire city. Of course, pills exchanged in French kisses are used for telepathy, little pellets of liquid metal have a will of their own, and Aeon has her own poison/instruction storage factory within her own eyeball.

Aeon, along with her cohort Sithandra (Sophie Okoneda), is assigned to infiltrate the compound and assassinate Trevor Goodchild in order to end the senseless debacle of a once stable society.

What happens next is extremely rare. Something is triggered within Aeon that disallows her to complete her mission. Call it Deja Vu, love, or just plain infatuation. Aeon falls desperately in love with her enemy. Little do we know exactly why as we watch the film unfold, but it adds an extra bit of mysticism and to the story. The lost love between them is soon to revealed along with the plot to end the cycle of genetic reincarnation foiled the Oren Goodchild (Johnny Lee Miller), the younger brother of Trevor who is really behind it all.

Charlize Theron has a stalking quality about her in this film, much like a gate/prance of a cross between a sloth and a preying mantis. The salamander crawl was more than cool, and other, animal-inspired, ballet-like movements only performed in video games.

A good portion of this film is dazzling to watch, without any explanation behind it. Strictly speaking, Aeon Flux is about 75% futuristic fantasy, with very little sci-fi.

The heady dynamic in this film is well thought and and I have to give total credit to the team of screenwriters Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. The role Marton Csokas plays in this film is quite important since it is he who has to pull the feel of this film together. The Handler (Frances McDormand) makes for a wonderful counterpoint against the control of Goodchild. The paranoia of the film makes it a semi-conspiracy film not knowing who to trust. The Keeper (Pete Postlethwaite) makes the viewer wish that things should finally come to an end. Amelia Warner should be mentioned for her role as Una Flux.

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.

I went into this movie with low expectations after hearing a lot of bad things about it but i'm the kind of person who doesn't let someone else's opinion deter me from forming one for myself. So I watched it and after it was over, I was very pleasantly surprised by how good it is.

This film is more of a mystery/drama (enhanced by some action sequences) than anything else. So if you're looking for an action film, I say look elsewhere. But if you're looking for an interesting story with more deliberate pacing, I think you may enjoy this one.

I was never once bored during the entire duration of the film and I plan to watch it again soon. Worth mentioning is the unique character designs, impressive visuals and of course the main star, Charlize Theron who earns a lot of respect from me for doing nearly all of her own stunts!

One thing I don't understand is the hate that this movie gets from so-called fans of the original animated series. I grew up with the series, I watched them on Mtv.. and I feel this movie fits right in with the rest of the series. If it were animated rather than live-action, it could've actually worked as a continuation, or even as a form of "closure", to the animated series.

Either way, I personally really enjoyed this movie and I recommend buying it. If you're big on behind-the-scenes material, I recommend getting the 2 disc DVD edition, which was only available at Best Buy (U.S.) for a limited time. The second "bonus" disc consists of a 30 minute "the effects of Aeon Flux" feature which is very interesting.

The only reason that I give this film a 4 star rating instead of 5 is that there are some reasonably noticable chunks excised from the films narrative. I later learned that in fact, this release is the studio cut which has 30 minutes of footage removed! I sure hope a director's cut is released eventually but regardless this is a great film and should be viewed by those looking for weird sci-fi!

DVD techs:

Audio (5.1) Overall great sound mix, no real complaints here.

Image (anamorphic wide screen) Excellent quality. The bright, vibrant colors really pop out to enhance the story.

Final word: Taut, always interesting sci-fi film with impressive visuals. 4/5 stars!

Think, Charlize Theron in spandex . . .

Do you really need any more encouragement to watch this movie? If so, then here are some more reasons.

The movie is set 400 years in the future where humans have mostly been wiped out by a plague. The only remaining human colony exists in the city of Bregna. Charlize plays the title character, Aeon Flux, an assasin for a secretive society, the Monicans, trying to overthrough the ruling family, the Goodchilds. As the plot unfolds, the secrets about Aeon's true identity, her past, and her connection with Chairman Trevor Goodchild is revealed.

The action and special effects in this movie are first rate. I think Charlize Theron does a great job of playing Aeon. This was her first sci-fi/action picture role and from watching the interviews with her she was pretty enthusiastic about preparing for the role. Her training is evident in her fluid motions during action and fight scenes. She's a natural as a great looking femme fatale. I hope she picks up more roles like this!

I've read most of the other reviews, and it seems like most of the reviewers have complained about Charlize Theron's acting, the "predictability" of the plot, and so on. Well, poo, to them! First of all, I think Charlize was very believable as Aeon. Next, the plot is not so predictable; it is kind of formulaic, but that's not a bad thing. I happen to like the fact that underlying this action move is a basic love story and I think that it really works. I hope they make a sequel to the movie because the characters are interesting and Bregna (and the earth in the future) provide a great canvas for another adventure.

My advice: if you like sci-fi movies you're going to like this movie! If you like movies like: UnderWorld, UltraViolet, Tomb Raider, etc. then this movie is for you. This is just a good old action adventure sci-fi movie with a romantic twist. If you're a movie critic who would prefer the "classics", then you might want to pass on this one!

Charlize Theron plays Aeon Flux, an elite agent with extraordinary reflexes and tactical skills in this sci-fi movie. The story takes place when a virus has eliminated 99% of the world's population. A small city, Bregna, encases the humans that are left. The outside world beyond is considered off limits. But the safety inside the walls are decreasing with the rise of citizen disappearances. Aeon is sent in to take out Goodchild, the creator of this new civilization. Freedom is the goal but Aeon and her fellow agents will find out there are secrets and conspiracies hidden in the myst. Great acrobatical stunts are throughout this movie and Charlize looks unbelievable in her sleek black attire. The visual effects, certain characters, and unrealistic looking sets are lamentable. Storyline starts out good and then drops off from there. Overall, could have been better.