Aeon Flux (DVD)

Aeon Flux wasn't screened for critics and while I heard it wasn't all that bad I wasn't about to spend my own cash to go see something the studio obviously wasn't confident about in the theaters so I decided to wait for it on DVD, and now my opinion will be heard!

Very quickly, this is not a horrible film, but it is far from a good one. It is in no way a film Paramount should have been scared to preview for critics despite the fact that the storyline is weak, predictable and cliché. What virtually every critic would have taken into account is that this movie is based on an MTV cartoon, which would have had all critics realizing that there is an audience for the film, an audience most critics most likely don't consider themselves a part of.

What Aeon Flux is, is popcorn fun. The twists are not surprising and the action is mediocre, even though I think a couple of Charlize's first few kick ass sequences are quite impressive. However, impressive or not, Charlize is where this film hits a wall, she is miscast as Aeon Flux.

Theron has a unique look about her, but her body doesn't scream hardcore superhero. She has the persona of a delicate beauty, that is unless she is getting all ugly for Monster, in which case I ain't calling her a beauty. Director Karyn Kusama would have done much better to cast a Kate Beckinsale or even a Jennifer Garner style actress for this part... Beckinsale would have obviously been the much better choice, but the likelihood of her taking on a secondary action role after Underworld is not at all likely.

So, we are left with Theron and alongside we have Sophie Okonedo and Francis McDormand, both in throw away roles and neither of them bring much of anything to the table, this is not to say they were given proper utensils. Just watching the special features and listening to the commentary with co-writers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi you quickly learn that the cartoon was not exactly conducive to a feature film. For example, the character of Aeon apparently died at the end of each episode of the cartoon, which means you have about 30 minutes of story and then a death. Hmmm.... where are you going to go with that for a feature film? Therefore we are left with a highly transparent storyline that could have probably been better especially if they had given it some serious dialogue rewrites. There is nothing clever about this script and everything said inside the feature is by the book. They even throw in a, "No, that's impossible!" for good measure.

As far as the features on the DVD go, get this, they have five "eye-popping" featurettes. Tell me, what is so "eye-popping" about learning how they made the movie. What is so "eye-popping" about costume design? The stunt featurette is pretty cool, but aside from that this is all just standard stuff. Seen it. Been there.

I already mentioned the writer's commentary, it is not all that great, but what is even worse is the commentary with Charlize and producer Gale Anne Hurd. Someone needs to electroshock these two! My Lord, you would think someone just told them they had one day left to live. This is the most grim commentary I have ever tried to listen to, and trust me, I didn't listen to the whole thing.

On a whole, Aeon Flux is not a horrible film, but I think you can tell from my comments it is far from a great film. I think some younger audience members out there could find reason to watch this more than once, but I think anyone over the age of 16 will be satisfied making this a weekend rental and returning it once they are done.