Something reflectively shiny on the video store shelf caught my attention. A new release. “Damn audacious box there. Some type of falcon headed creature, a pyramid in the background skies. Wow, I had never even heard of this film, no wonder, it‘s a French production…”

Appropriately weird and fantastical, Immortel (ad vitam) is a film which makes you wonder why it didn’t receive more fanfare. I point to the xenophobic fact that this is a French rather than American film. I point to the simple fact that if the English-language Immortel (ad vitam) had the talents as say, the worlds-apart-in-style sci-fi, Code 46, the film would have at least gotten worthy media exposure.

It’s a shame too because the film deserved better. Hollywood politics amongst unreliable financial projections/marketing techniques is probably just as important a reason as to why the film did not receive adequate theatrical distribution or much press here in the U.S. like the much ballyhooed, more heralded, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. As you know Hollywood tends to over-hype films that are of no more quality or guaranteed success than less publicized films like Immortel (ad vitam).

A salient and undeniable asset of Science Fiction, much like Horror, allows a film to define its own representation of reality. Yet, there is a typically defined framework for each genre. Thus, sci-fi audiences are given freer rein to open interpretations and meanings since the genre is more opportunistic in this realm than most genres. It’s probably another reason why Immortel (ad vitam) seems to be a film people will either love or hate.

Lacking Sin City‘s all around prowess yet providing visual panache, Immortel (ad vitam) will go down in history along with 2004’s other first-time in history “digital backlot” films where the actors were all shot in front of blue and green screens with backgrounds added in post-production. It’s debated which movie was shot first but the others include: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Casshern, and the aforementioned Sin City. Hopefully I can see Casshern soon to complete the quartet and make comprehensive comparisons. By the way, Immortel (ad vitam) was released first, then Casshern, Sky Captain, and finally, Sin City in 2005.

Now after getting that off my chest, zany like any good manga or graphic novel should be, Immortel (ad vitam) is based upon and combines three daring graphic novels called the Nikopol Trilogy (Carnival of Mortals, Woman Trap, and Cold Equator), written and drawn by the highly skilled comics artist Enki Bilal, into one apocalyptic, ultra-violent, cutting edge, sci-fi mindbender set in the Big Transgenic Apple circa 2095. Not all that different than any present day NYC evening, in this future New York, Central Park is an off-limits danger zone. A city with little rays of light and whose majestic beauty shines through numerous romantically textured, and darkly brooding, luminous settings.

A blurred point-of-view. The faint struggle for breath. Something feminine in its sound. A woman, at least she appears to be female, is being transferred to the Eugenics factory. Of course, Eugenics being the requisite all-powerful conglomerate involved in the lucrative and politically polarizing business of synthetic flesh and virtual brains.

In Europe I would imagine, an exotic, pale-skinned, blue haired, androgynous featured woman would almost be common place. In the sci-fi world, those features immediately scream otherworldly being.

It’s this quality which sparks the flame to a chain of events that tumbles Immortel’s futuristic world toward a newly spun existence by way of otherworldly being, Jill (Linda Hardy), a memory-blocked non-human with naturally pretty features, who also has distinct organs and a power unknown to herself.

This power is revealed through the help of Nikopol (well played by the young Liam Neeson looking, Thomas Kretschmann). Nikopol is forced to become a human slave as Horus takes possession of his body. This provides the libidinous Horus a transformation into human form in order to accomplish sexually deviant deeds.

The bleak, dystopian, weather-challenged world of Immortel (ad vitam) centers on a strange pyramid which has suddenly appeared in the New York City skies. It’s a cynically corrupt town where a serial killer is on the loose - eight murders in 72 hours. Kickass spaceships and 50’s retro-influenced genius cars ride the grid, and the mighty conglomerate Eugenics will stop at nothing to prevent the prophesies of Nikopol.

For the past 29 years of a 30-year sentence, Nikopol has left his mark through neon-esque, holographic billboards (tagged by The Spirit of Nikopol), floating in the city skies spouting rebellious messages - reminding Mutants and Humans alike to say no to Eugenics and synthetic flesh/virtual brains.

Inside of the floating pyramid lies the now awakened Horus (a foremost Egyptian god, son of Osiris and Isis, represented as a Falcon headed man), who is serving penance for rebellion and has been condemned to death. He is allowed seven days to roam the Earth he helped create. His gatekeepers are two other important Egyptian gods: Bastet (the Cat Goddess, represented by a cat headed woman) and Anubis (the God of Death, represented as a Jackal headed man). Seeing Horus personified in physical form is electrifying. He awakens testy and egotistical as ever with, “Human children. I’m back.”

The telling moment also provides our first taste of the ethereal, classically dramatic synthesized music, adding a touch of frosting to the cake.

The coolly designed Eugenics headquarters (a Deco, Chrysler Building inspired, Orwellian nightmare in architectural form) and research facilities is the setting for radical, hell-bent, wise-cracking, Dr. Elma Turner (Charlotte Rampling, once again brilliant and mesmerizing). To her Jill is “the greatest creature” she’s come across in the outlandish world.

Throughout Jill’s therapy we gather insight into her true nature - savage and a fast learner, perhaps playing ignorant with Elma. Her lone friend is the centuries old, mysteriously black shrouded, John (Frederic Pierrot), a friend and guide to her powers who’s dying because of Earth’s atmosphere.

Some may find the interaction between Horus and Nikopol preposterous and unbelievable, not I. In fact, the duo’s interaction deftly adds a firm story basis, with the at-first antagonistic, then warmly touching relationship between Nikopol and Horus horrifyingly and hilariously developed.

In addition to the main characters, Bilal has the singular ability to reveal specifically defined supporting characters, from the political pawn Senator Kyle Allgood(Joe Sheridan) to his headstrong assistant, Lily Liang (Corinne Jaber) and finally, the Police Commissioner/Chief Jonas (Derrick Brenner)

The tongue-in-cheek humor alongside character-revealing dialogue is impressive. The element which effortlessly helps sell Horus is the baritone voice and subtly invisible performance of actor turned CG character, Thomas M. Pollard.

The political environment of Immortel (ad vitam) is visually apparent. It’s election time and politicos are dominating the airwaves, exposing their own uncertainties as to why the hovering pyramid has appeared. Some think it’s obviously extraterrestrial.

When thinking comparatively, Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner, even Final Fantasy and specifically The Fifth Element readily creep into mind. The film comes across as a mutation of the latter two.

Immortel’s Jill sometimes bears jarring similarities to The Fifth Element’s main character Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), each a childlike yet beautifully wiry woman who may hold a key to the world’s future existence. Jovovich’s flaming orange haired Leeloo is more edgy, angular, fatalistic and aggressive in look while Hardy’s Jill has a softer magnetism. Both have the requisite tough survival instincts of all great heroines, especially the sci-fi heroine. Even the riotous wardrobes and outrageous hairstyles play a role in both films.

Whereas The Fifth Element had a more comedic bent, Immortel stays appropriately bizarre with a dreamy, nebulous, and sinister air permeating its unmistakable sci-fi sphere with far more depth and less reliance on contrived humor.

There is much to like in the inventive visual design. The stunning cross pollination in this conflicted blend of CG animation and live action set pieces, is heavenly to the eyes. Although there is usually a disconnection between the two this is not the case with Immortel (ad vitam). The disconnection actually plays in the film’s favour, adding a crazed patchwork of kinetic design.

What I like is the lack of pretense for any need for a seamless integration between CG and live action. Through a merging of varied and inventive visuals we get a mixed orgy of production techniques: rotoscopy, compositing, and matte painting, all tenets of the CG world, alongside live action. We begin to see what’s in store in this new production world of fully integrated “digital backlots”. Either way, all the techniques form a unique synergy, a dichotomy of two worlds colliding to make beautiful imagery - working for rather than against the visual and story dynamics.

Although it may not be as technically proficient and seamless as larger budgeted films, there are technical achievements aplenty, and I found myself receptive to the film’s uncompromising moxie.

The jaw dropping, highly detailed, smoothly executed design placated the erratic if not wholly compelling storyline. French effects company, Duran (with Enki’s contributions, of course), and the production designer, Jean-Pierre Fouillet, received well deserved acclaim.

With such a complex story, it remains surprisingly linear and easy to follow without getting caught up in its own futuristic, technological mumbo jumbo á la The Matrix 2 and 3.

The film is also bolstered by a rich soundscape adding blush to the film’s makeup, ably helping to convey the histrionics. Where else could you hear Baudelaire, see Egyptian Gods play monopoly to kill time, meet humor filled, distinct characters, and experience a hodge-podge of crazy cool visual design underneath a multi-layered story? It’s not without flaws, but more importantly, not without originality - and this goes a long way for this particular gem.

Unlike the emotionally devoid, unabashed pulp of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow's all texture, no substance, this spellbinding film creates a whimsical world in an exciting, thought provoking, and gritty hardcore manner. Such an intriguingly inventive film as Immortel (ad vitam) should be wider known than a tepidly released video here in the U.S. Particularly when compared to Sky Captain’s gaudy publicity campaign. Are you listening cable outlets?

Enki appears to have a cult following in Europe, while being lesser known here in the United States. Sadly, had he fine tuned the story kinks a bit more and the erratic, ambiguously murky, somewhat flat but ultimately satisfying ending, he probably would have had a masterpiece.

If we depended upon our local multiplexes to fulfill our cinematic hunger, we’d be left in a sorry state of starvation. Luckily, our local video store shelves is where we can stumble upon and truly find hidden gems, diamonds in the rough to correct the distributors and/or critics lukewarm misgivings.

© completed by Julian Boyance, on July 27, 2005