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Aeon Flux is set 400 years in the future, we are informed early in the film, after 99 percent of the world’s population has been destroyed by a deadly virus. The remaining 1 percent live (if you can call it that) in the totalitarian city-state of Bregna.
Aeon Flux (Charlize Theron) is a particularly beautiful, lethal and passionate member of the Monicans, rebels who are dedicated to bringing the current regime to its knees. When Aeon’s sister, Una (Amelia Warner), is killed by the secret police, Aeon’s next assignment becomes that much easier – assassinate Bregna’s ruler Trevor Goodchild (Marton Csokas).
The MTV animated show has gained cult status since its 1995 run, but it’s difficult to say how fans will react to the film, which is "based on the characters" and not a straight adaptation. What’s less difficult to see, however, is as sci-fi/action movies go, "Aeon Flux" has its moments.
Chief of these is its star, Oscar-winning actress Theron. She easily could have cashed her paycheck (CNN reported last week she commands a cool $10 million per film) and phoned in her performance. Instead, she plays it totally straight and even manages to look pretty cool when the movie gets a tad ridiculous – which it does at times.
This is only the second film for director Karyn Kusama, who helmed the critically acclaimed indie film "Girlfight" in 2000. One might think she would be an odd choice to direct a big-budget actioner. Kusama, however, brings a certain sensitivity to the affair, which goes a long way in counterbalancing the film’s occasionally cartoonish, yet fairly intense, violence.
Nobody’s going to mistake "Aeon Flux" for "The Matrix" trilogy, which is still the gold standard. Despite such comparisons, the movie still manages to be stylish fun, without being too mindless. There are lapses in logic, but not to the point of doing much damage. The production design by Andrew McAlpine is particularly striking, with Bregna looking like any number of pristine totalitarian cities in sci-fi films of the past.
This is not a classic by any means, but fans of the show and sci-fi/action flicks should be in their element.
Aeon Flux
PG-13
In area theatres Thursday
Three out of four
Recommended Rental
The 40 Year-Old Virgin
R
Available Tuesday
Before becoming an unlikely star in the surprise hit "The 40 Year-Old Virgin," Steve Carell had to be content with upstaging comic superstars like Jim Carrey in "Bruce Almighty" (2003) and Will Ferrell in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (2004).
Carell plays Andy Stitzer, a likeable if slightly nerdish guy on the wrong side of 40 who "has never done the deed" as one of his buddies so delicately puts it. This was a huge breakout role for Carell, who will play 86 in the film adaptation of "Get Smart," set for 2006.
