Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and some sexuality.
90 Minutes
Directed By: Mathieu Kassovitz
Written By: Eric Besnard
Staring: Vin Diesal, Michelle Yeoh, Melanie Thierry, Gerard Depardieu, Mark Strong, and Charlotte Rampling
Save the planet. Whenever I’ve read that bumper sticker I’ve had to laugh. Save the planet. What for? And from what? From ourselves? Life’s simple: kill or be killed, don’t get involved and always finish the job. A survivor’s code, my code, and it all sounds great until the day you find yourself confronted by a choice. A choice to make a difference, to help someone, or to walk away and save yourself. I learned something that day: you can’t always walk away. Too bad it was the day I died. -Toorop
Synopsis
Veteran-turned-mercenary Toorop takes the high-risk job of escorting a woman from Russia to America. Little does he know that she is host to an organism that a cult wants to harvest in order to produce a genetically modified Messiah.
Review
Vin Diesal is the best good bad guy around. Nobody plays the reluctant hero, bound by his own twisted moral compass like him. Recently re-watching The Chronicles Of Riddick , seeing the previews for Fast & Furious, and now watching Babylon A.D., I’m believing he’s coming back to be that action hero again. I am a huge fan of Jason Statum, but we need the diversity of a Stallone/Schwartzenegger era, and both guys bring that to the table.
Babylon A.D. is set in the future where Earth has essentially torn itself apart. All over in separate countries people are escaping to other places in search of a better life. The most difficult place to get to is the United States where life seems to be the only place surviving in an upward fashion. VinDiesal’s character, Toorop has taken on a job to smuggle a girl from a hidden church in Mongolia to the United States. A sister from the Monastery has taken the job of protecting her along with Toorop, and together they begin a tedious and dangerous trip across the world, that reveals many things about the mysterious girl.
It’s a really cool concept with a lot of action, and a pace that feels like it’s constantly pushing forward without a chance to look back. There is a basic description of the plot, but much of the worlds back round is left a complete mystery, along with much about the character’s, but it works. If too much was explained about the why’s and how’s of everything it would have turned into more of a Children Of Men type thriller, rather than an action oriented Science Fiction flick. There is time taken, for the character’s to interact, and for us to get to know them as they are now, even though we know little about their past, but they are strangers to one another and are also left in the dark about the mission and the mysterious behavior of Aurora (Melanie Thierry). It keeps the suspense heightened and really makes you focus on the events that are taking place so you don’t miss anything.
I just mentioned Mark Strong in my review of Body Of Lies, and this was the second film I’ve seen him in. He had a small, but pertinent role, and I’ve decided I’m becoming a fan of him. Michelle Yeoh is fantastic in everything she does, but I specifically enjoyed her performance in this. Her martial arts were down played at points, which I kind of liked because it suited the character. Vin Diesal was just phenomenal. He’s riveting in the right role, and this was a perfect role for him. He had amazing chemistry with Melanie Thierry, and played well off Michelle Yeoh . There is just so much raw masculinity about him that guys have to love him, and women must swoon. There isn’t a guy in movies that exudes the testosterone Vin Diesal does. There is an indifference and reluctance that he brings in different ways to his character’s, and with Toorop, his own sense of morals, with his own personal desires make him a pretty likable killer.
Babylon A.D. was a lot of fun. Definitely one of the better Science Fiction movies in the last few years. It lacked the depth of a movie like Children Of Men, but it was a powerhouse of suspense, with action when necessary, and an unknown world that you know little more about when the film ends than you did when it began. For non-science fiction or action fans this may not appeal as much to you, though it’s worth giving a chance. I absolutely loved this movie. It will soon find it’s way onto my DVD shelf. The Verdict? Vin Diesal rocks and so does Babylon A.D.
While I did enjoy this film, I still can’t stand Vin Diesel for some reason! HAHA! I don’t know, I’ve always disliked him but I can at least get by that to enjoy some of his movies now.
oh my, this is the ONLY movie in history where I actually fell asleep in the theater. I was knocked out snoring lol
Maybe I should re watch it??
While I loved the movie… I thought the ending was abrupt and weak – it left me wondering about the twins (one black – one white)?