AEON FLUX

AEON FLUX: COOL ENOUGH
By Reymundo Salao

After a deadly virus annihilated more than 90% of the world's population, civilization had to rely on cloning and had to live in a small walled city. But the regime that ruled this city was faced by a rebellion that searches for justice and the answers to the secrets that this government is keeping from its citizens. Aeon Flux is a rebel who seeks vengeance for the killing of her sister, and is now tasked to assassinate the heads of the government.

AEON FLUX is based on the animated series of the same title that was shown on MTV's "Liquid TV" back in the 90's (yes, back during the days when MTV was still cool). This series was created and drawn by Peter Chung, who also animated the "Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury", is one of the more prominent figures in mature-content animation.

The AEON FLUX movie is one of those movies that can really appeal more to sci-fi geeks, since most of the fiction-based laws of logic in this film may be a bit confusing to those unfamiliar with science fiction. The sci-fi aspect of this film is full-blown to the extent that is becomes quite too funky and even psychedelic in terms of seemingly tapping inspiration from sci-fi oldies like "THX-1138", "Logan's Run", and even "Barbarella". The entire atmosphere of the movie is very funky and stylized. I was chuckling at the villains who I can only describe as 'The metrosexual government'.


But 'funky & stylized' made Charlize Theron look more jaw-freezingly alluring than she already is, in futuristic fashion and jet-black hair. Although the role of Aeon Flux, as described in the original animated series, does not fit Charlize Theron, it still quite is alluring for her to get into such a futuristic-amazon-type role. Sure, no nerd can complain if only Charlize Theron would've been clad in the original Aeon Flux outfit which looks like a futuristic dominatrix-type lingerie. But sadly, no, she doesn’t wear that same outfit in the movie. What is impressing about her, though, is that she did most of her stunts, and was able to sustain a very serious injury for doing it. I cant say the same for notable Academy Award actors Pete Postlethwaite and Frances McDormand, whose roles make them look a bit too ridiculous, and doesn’t do justice to their reputations either.

Karyn Kusama, director of "GirlFight" directed this film, and does a satisfactory job. And then, there's musical director Graeme Revell, whose music is ultra-cool that I'm drooling to get a copy of the soundtrack. His scores of action-epic-type electonica and drum n' bass enhances the world of Aeon Flux and keeps up with its stylized environment.

With all the amazon action films that have gone out before this, "Aeon Flux" has been minimized by taggings of it being a cliché. But it is still indeed an entertaining piece of work. Not for the non-sci-fi fans, this film is satisfactorily good, and a superb eye-candy.