Review of Renaissance (2006) by Walter M — 21 Feb 2008

[font=Century Gothic]"Renaissance" takes place in Paris in the near future where Captain Karas is assigned the case of Ilona Tasuiev, a researcher for pharmaceutical giant Avalon Corporation, who has gone missing. Along with her full time work, she is also working on a doctoral thesis on progeria and volunteers at the clinic run by Dr. Muller. Considering all of these signs of a nonexistent social life, it might come as a surprise that the last place Ilona is seen is a nightclub by her older sister, Bislane...[/font].

[font=Century Gothic][/font].

[font=Century Gothic]"Renaissance" is a starkly animated movie in black and white(Making "Code Black" an interesting experience...) with a few rare infusions of color showing off a Paris that is not that far removed from the present day. There are a few advancements, but nothing totally unrecognizable. Imaginative as the film's design may be, the story and the characters are somewhat lacking by comparison, even with a couple of neat action set pieces thrown in.(That's not counting the half-baked philosophy.) And it is a nice touch that Karas is a Muslim but what does the film's conclusion truly say about him?(It does not help that a key incident from his past is straight out of "Angels with Dirty Faces.") It is also an ending that does not really work; surely there could have been a better way.[/font].