Review of Æon Flux (2005) by Grant S — 13 Oct 2009

Just feels so...meh.

Set in the year 2415, four hundred years after a virus wipes out all the humans on Earth except those in one city. That city was saved due to one inhabitant, Dr Goodchild, discovering an anti-virus. The city is now a (seemingly) benevolent dictatorship, run by the descendants of Dr Goodchild. However, strange things are afoot, thanks to the government. A rebel group does exist though and it counts among its members one Aeon FLux...

Though the broad plot didn't seem overly original there was some room for an interesting story. That potential is wasted through style-over-substance direction which disguises a fairly weak and silly plot. The director does her best to create an air of mystery and suspense but this involves meaningless scenes, just there to confuse the audience. Cue the inevitable action scenes and explosions...

Performances are pretty weak too. Charlize Theron seems listless as Aeon Flux. The character had the potential to be a great symbol for female empowerment through being a strong, invincible female action figure. Yet the writer and director hedge their bets and make her also a femme fatale and a sullen mysterious figure (to go with the superficial mystery of the movie). No wonder Theron seemed out of it - the character was so inconsistent!

The remainder of the cast seem to be phoning it in too.