Renaissance Review – Mock Squid Soup No.10 #cinephiles #film #review

This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability. However, before I do that, let’s take a look at my clues from last week.

#1 This is an awarding winning French film that, like so many others, did not do well at in U.S. box offices, but has since built up a cult following.

#2 The story is a dark tale of the future that cleverly ties into the fictional past of (the release year of the film) 2006 to help explain the mystery that’s being solved in the movie.

#3 This is a black and white film of a different caliber, with some well-known actors lending their talents this relatively low budget (for its type) film that has an awesome tagline: Paris 2054. Live forever or die trying.

Sorry about that last clue. I worried I made the clues too vague, but just coming out and saying that the film was animated seemed too easy.

New: see my viewing experience notes here.

1. What is this film about?

Like many sci-fi or futuristic movies, this film is about the pursuit of eternal youth or eternal life, two completely different things. It starts with a female scientist, Ilona, who seems to be in search of something, but before you have a chance to even wonder what it is, she gets kidnapped. This isn’t a spoiler; it’s the premise of the movie’s trailer. So in comes Captain Karas and the reckless sister, Bislane (I assume these are common French names.) to solve the case. With the investigation on, it doesn’t take long to realize that the company Ilona works for might have something to do with her disappearance I mean their name is Avalon and their slogan is “Health. Beauty. Longevity. Avalon. We’re on your side. For life.”…Right.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

I’m not crazy about the title; I think it’s too vague. I guess it’s supposed to represent the genetic Renaissance of the future that makes people look and feel younger longer, but I feel like the movie didn’t emphasize that. Maybe the title means something else entirely and I just missed it.

I liked the trailer the first time I saw it which is why I wanted to see the movie, but I didn’t have a firm grasp on what the story was really about. I just thought it looked cool. I mean it’s an animated black and white movie made for a mature audience; how is that not cool? It turns out that the movie is more about Captain Kara’s investigation, but I won’t give away any details.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

Honestly, I didn’t think there was anything that really stood out about the voice work. Daniel Craig’s voice is distinctive, but that’s it. It sounds like trained actors reading lines in character. Nothing spectacular, but the animation is amazing. I feel like this was supposed to be a character-driven story, but I didn’t really connect with the characters. However, I didn’t dislike any of them and was able to easily follow along with Karas’s investigation. BTW- Karas’s character does have a very interesting back story.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

There are times when the images are hard to see, but that’s when you figure out how to look at the shadows around the light. The graphic artists were the real stars of this film and I guess the director helped all that come together.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

There were times when the music was a bit surreal and then there were times when I felt like James Bond was about to step onto the scene. The geek in me really liked that.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

I thought it was clever how the mystery of this story was tied into the past, the year 2006, which was the release year of the film. Overall I thought the story was really good and appreciated the little twist at the end.

7. What did I not like about the story?

I thought the relationship development was rushed and almost unnecessary, but people just don’t release movies without some kind romantic link. Also, I’m not sure if I picked up on a goof or glitch or what. There is one quick scene that I keep going back over, but I still can’t make sense of it.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others?

Yes, but I’d be picky about who I’d share it with.

9. If yes, who? What would I rate this movie?

Some people just don’t connect to animation and forget about black and white. I’d be sure to share this with an open-minded crowd. At least there are no subtitles, so that by itself will increase my audience.

On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 4 reels.

10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?

I haven’t written anything like this, but I have penned a few thoughts and or cautionary tales of the future. I think what I learned most from this film is that no matter how much time passes, some people will always be greedy and someone will always have to keep them in check.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

Mock Squid Soup – Film Society

MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to movie reviews. We invite others to participate and post their reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords