Review of Film Noir (2007) by Steven T — 25 Mar 2009

As the title suggests Film Noir is exactly that....reminiscent of the detective stories of Hollywood old. This animated feature is presented with an aesthetic reminiscent of classic black and white, but adds colour to certain elements (think Sin City) in order to keep things fresh. The score is an appropriate saxophone based jazz and in true noir fashion the film is narrated by our "hero" whom has just awoken to find he is lying under the Hollywood sign next to a dead cop and unfortunately suffering from a bout of Amnesia. Things get a lot worse from there as we follow him on his journey of self discovery full of sex, greed, murder, betrayal and a few twists and turns.

I must admit I found the film quite fascinating, both in visual style (There are numerous photo realistic L.A backdrops with animation placed over the top) and in storytelling. The ending was a little, but not entirely predictable, however this didn't affect how much fun it was to follow the characters in their pursuits.

Film Noir is an excellent example of global movie-making craftsmanship, with its American writing, French distribution and Serbian animation crew. I am not sure when or if the film will be released on DVD, but I would certainly recommend seeking it out if you find it.