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Show 'Aeon Flux' mixes sexual energy and action Following in the daring footsteps of Angelina rapid for an action film as the plot moves forward Jolie ("Lara Croft: Tomb Raider"), Halle Berry with lots of jarring combat scenes livening up the actors (who all appear to be just ("Catwoman") and Kate Beckinsale as robotic as the technology that ("Underworld"), Charlize Theron ^^^^^^~ Casey T.Allen surrounds them). Theron does well {"The Italian Job") has now uttering pessimistic one-liners with embodied the role of a sexy, her deep, monotone voice. But she female fighting machine. Wearing gradually reveals a slim emotional tight black clothing and a stoic depth tnat makes her seem less expression, Theron plays the title like a stereotype and more like a role of a fist-flying assassin. And red-blooded woman who is merely while most actresses experience concealed by her tough armor of a slump in prestige after starring black Spandex. in an action film, Theron doesn't totally plummet into humiliation. "Aeon Flux" doesn't try too hard In fact, she keeps a considerable to be amazing. It is packed with distance from it by leading a film with credible an efficient balance of violence, intrigue and supporting performances and an intelligent plot. romance. None oi the plot developments are too Set 400 years into the future, Earth has been flashy and none of them are too simple. Directed ravaged by a disease, leaving only 1 percent of by the relatively inexperienced Karyn Kusama the world's population alive. This small civiliza- ("Girlfight"), "Aeon Flux" has some moments tion lives in a quiet, enclosed city ruled over by a where the dialogue and storyline are conventional tyrannical government, which Aeon (pronounced and prosaic. But the film has notable uniqueness 'eeon') tries to overthrow by assassinating its top in its blatantly abstract style and consistent maturity. leader. We soon realize that things are not what they This maturity is not only contributed to the seem in this sterile, technology-laden society. This film by Theron, but by her list of co-stars as film, surprisingly, evolves into something more well. Frances McDormand ("Something's Gotta than just a mission-to-kill as Aeon unexpectedly Give") is effortlessly mysterious as Aeon's mentor discovers her past and succumbs to feelings of and Sophie Okonedo ("Hotel Rwanda") adds a passion that slowly surface along her murderous thickness to the plot as Aeon's valiant partner in ,. journey, warfare. Marton Csokas ("Kingdom of Heaven") This film provides a sleek and somewhat cre- rounds out the main supporting characters playing ative representation of the future, displaying sub- the heartless government ruler with a compelling, tle, ultra-contemporary set designs mixed with ambiguous charm. unnatural sound editing. These technical elements It's impossible to ignore the fact that this film cause the film to have a forsaken, almost haunt- is pulsing with sexual energy throughout. Perhaps ing, quality. "Aeon Flux" is predictably dark and that is the main reason that this film remains so Reel eviews true to the animated television series on which it is based. Everyone does well creating a semicomplex puzzle in which all tire pieces slowly fit together to make a stylish whole. Casey T. Allen is a movie critic for the Utah Statesman. Comments can be sent to caseyal@cc. usu.edu. THE NATIONAL BUZZ -1 "Simultaneously silly, ostentatious and terribly boring." -Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywoodreportef.com "A failure even on the action-adventure/vicarious-butt-kickLag level." - John Anderson, Newsday ""Aeon Flux1 isn't about how cool or weird or geeky it can be, but about the potential endgame tof a contemporary social debate, and that is its est asset." - Mark CoIIette, lyier Morning Telegraph "Theron plays Aeon as a reluctant cipher who yearns to get back to a real existence. By the end, you'll know the feeling." - Owen Gleiberman, Entertairuiient Weekly Compiled front rotteniomatoes.com., 'Final Fantasy' fans: rejoice for new film One of the most influential video games of the past decade/ "Final Fantasy VII" not only revolutionized the RPG genre, it attracted third party support to the fledging Playstation console ^ — — « ^ — after the announcement of the game caused thousands of copies of the system to fly off of store shelves. A monumental achievement, both technologically and with regard to the game's philosophical complexity, "Final Fantasy VII" is often considered the definitive chapter of a franchise that has enjoyed success with numerous sequels, spin-offs, and an enormous fan base. It should come as no surprise, then, that despite past failure with the film medium {the dull, otherworldly box office bomb, "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within"), Square Enix has complied with demands for a resolution to the most beloved storyline of the game series in an unexpected format: a straightto-DVD movie. While, "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children" requires sufficient familiarity with the film's source Mack Perry material, it still offers casual movie-goers the most visually breathtaking barrage of action sequences ever committed to film. Fan service has never looked so good. Two years after Cloud Strife and his troupe of eco-terrorists defeated Sephiroth and saved the planet from being destroyed by a monolithic meteor spell, Cloud has found employment as an armed-to-the-teeth delivery service for Tifa's "7th Heaven" tavern. The film reunites the cast of the original game to combat Geostigma, a mysterious disease connected to the Lifestream and the proliferation of Jenova cells, and to confront a trio of PVD Reviews silver-haired vigilantes that bare a strik- with seamless, professional flare. ing resemblance to the sadistic-One- Additionally, the film is brimming with Winged-Angel himself. Fans looking references and inside jokes including for the same narrative convolution and stuffed Moogles, remixed renditions of perennial depth that permeated the battle music from the game, and the original game may be disappointed, usage of character's Limit Breaks durbut if these same fans don't jump for ing fight sequences. joy and shout expletives in excitement Mack Perry' is a critic for the Utah during the film's spectacular action Statesman. Comments and questions sequences then they simply can't call can be sent to him at themselves fans. mackp@cc. usu. edu. From Tifa's kinetic throw down with the lumbering Loz in Aerith's chapel to Cloud's midair confrontation with the titanic Bahamut Shin, "Advent Children" delivers exhilarating action with peerless visual precision and an unparalleled sense of style. Film director Tetsuya Nomura does with the CG medium what no other director has and expounds the medium's potential to CLOUD STRIFE is the central character in Finanal Fantasy VII: Advent's childeliver over-the-top action dren. The movie is a sequel to the best-selling Playstation RPG game. |