Immortel Ad Vitam

As endorsed by a fellow graphic-novel addict, I scoured the depths of Makati Cinema Square to find me a copy of Immortel (Ad Vitam) and watching it gave me a glimpse to a bleak future where criminals are sentenced to cryogenic sleep, synthetic organs are as normal as vaccination complete with made-in-wherever-country labeling, and ancient gods are as horny as shit. Plus, it showed boobies. Just a set from one person but it's good enough coupled with the artistic way it was done. Right.

In 2095, set in downtown New York, a huge pyramid looms over the metropolis. In it, Bast and Anubis take out the verdict on Horus who is said to have been sentenced to death by his peers. As part of his last rites, Horus is given seven days to roam the world he helped create.

Death being imminent, he chose to make good with the little time he has by finding a compatible host body to help him procreate. The problem is, only a handful of human bodies could tolerate such intrusion. A certain Alcide Nikopol (played by Thomas Kretschmann who also played the hoarsely voiced Captain Englehorn in the latest remake of King Kong), serving years in suspended animation via cryogenics for having been subversive to stuff concerning substitution of synthetic organs in human bodies, practically fell from the sky to be Horus' temporary shell. With that done, Horus should only need to find a vessel for his seed. Not many beings in the whole expanse of the universe could get down with a god either so seven days is a very limited period for everything to happen as planned. Jill Bioskop (played by Linday Hardy) comes in the picture as just the right creature for impregnation as she is, after all, a powerful being born (or was she actually made) for this sole purpose.

There are some twists along the way as the plot thickens.

From start to end, the movie is engaging. It has the right blend of actors both CG and live. The CGI used to create humans though were less superior than FF7: Advent Children. Its storyline is conveyed in a pace similar to reading a graphic novel which may be why I truly liked it. Plus that it reminds me of Texhnolyze, a great anime series, that also toyed with the idea of humans possibly being androids in the future.

Enki Bilal did a splendid job directing the movie. It was, after all, based on his graphic novels La Foire Aux Immortels and La Femme Piège. As to who he is, I honestly haven't got a freakin clue but based on the storyline and his other works featured at his site, this guy is really talented. The movie's got mixed reviews, but I give it four hard-ass bitch slaps for artistry in cinematography, plot, pace, acting, and oh-so-well written script.

posted by Fritz @ 12:00 AM