2/5 Not Buying It
  by Dr. Christopher Coleman (HONG KONG)
Nope,I'm not buying it--either the movie itself or the premise that deep inside this is a really good movie ruined by bad editing, inattentive audiences, or the evil designs of the Tooth Fairy. Babylon AD is an almost incomprehensible set of action sequences set mostly in a Mad Max post-apocalyptic future, and nothing more. Vin hits people, Vin shoots people, people hit and shoot Vin, and stuff blows up all over the place, and nothing else in the movie is anything more than a thinly disguised way to get from one action sequence to another. Does that make it a bad movie? Depends on your criteria, I guess. I thought my time had been wasted, but then, you might not. Just don't expect more than things going boom.

4/5 EVEN TO THE MOST PERCEPTIVE THE FUTURE ALWAYS SEEMS A LITTLE STRANGE IF ONLY BECAUSE IT MUST REMAIN COMPLETELY UNKNOWABLE
  by Josef Bush (Phoenix, AZ)
The Sci-Fi adventure epic is that venue in which the improbable and the inexplicable stay, thrashing in their own matrix of danger. Here, DIESEL is up to speed and a little beyond, at last, with this one. That spooky-scary kinetic rush of physical power and rage-aholism that animated XXX, PITCH BLACK and RIDDICK is back again, after a spate of gaffs and dung nuggets, and we can see the man as the MovieStar he is, for what he is, in his element. What is that element? It's that unpredictable area of semi-consciousness, part dream and part myth, where primal forces collide under the direction of men like David Twohy -- who orchestrated RIDDIK -- and Luc Besson, who directed, wrote and produced THE FIFTH ELEMENT. And in many ways BABYLON AD closely resembles that movie, FIFTH ELEMENT. Actually, the character Toorop of BABYLON AD is interchangeable with Korben Dallas of ELEMENT, played by Bruce Willis. In their careers, both actors play archetypes and for the past five or more years, have been and are to a degree rivals, and except that they are not physical twins, their roles have been nearly identical: SIN CITY, yet another rescue mission. And so, this snippet from the blurb for FIFTH ELEMENT fits very well here: This cast of actors stars "In an outrageous sci-fi adventure, an extravagantly styled tale of good against evil set in an unbelievable twenty-third century world."

Both these actors, WILLIS and DIESEL have transcended their national origins, and even their original stereotypes (sarcastic West Side of Manhattan toughies) as well as their ethnic and racial origins, and become Types. What types? Brutes. Or, just Americans as Europeans may well see us; mindless, mercenary Thugs. Remember, if you check the very lengthy walk-out credits, you'll find that this movie is not an American movie, but a pan-European or International one, with credits for artistic and financial production coming from virtually every financial center in the world, an with artistic creation originating in Paris, Prague, Rome, London and only incidentally from New York. In fact, considering Michelle Yeoh's considerable contribution, it wouldn't be strange if the Chinese film business contributed to BABYLON.

But what's BABYLON A.D. like to watch? Luscious, to my way of thinking; irrational, wonderful, unnpredictable action and virtually all the actors give surprising performances.

DIESEL? He looks great. They've finally figured out how to vary his 'look' so that he's at least plausibly attractive in a street-like way. (A MAN APART, a fairly good action flick, puts him in Mexi-Latino LA, and with facial hair he fits in.) Here, they find ways to make him look interesting on camera. They do exquisite creative work with his tatooing; great forearm motifs, good hand stuff; they bring lines and slashes up to his hairline and do suave things with his scalp and rug. So fine! In a scene near the end of the movie he's caught in the shower first, with bleeding wounds and a spectacular all-over Egyptian-style dorsal tatoo and next, with Melanie Thierry in her undies. They don't wrestle, but they don't have to. Total Venus and Mars. Arousing, like something out of DUN.

MELANIE THIERRY is a ravishing girl/woman with blonde hair and the face of an angel or, yes, yes, admit it; the face of the Madonna. Like Milla Jovovich, she has the huge, pale wide eyes and Finnish-like not-quite androgynous body and the sense of unearthliness the role calls for. Through most of the flick her role is passive: She appears to be psychotic, but turns out to be psychic, we find, en route. However, she's always being pushed and pulled everywhere, by nearly everybody, so its hard to tell. But somehow she maintains an unearthly poise that is both upsetting and attractive.

MICHELE YEOH brings to the film those qualities which, if you haven't ever seen her (in CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON) or anything else, must remain inexplicable. Grace, poise, beauty, strength and athleticism. She is a marvel. Chen-yu.

GERARD DEPARDIEU was a complete surprise. I didn't look at the credits on the box and didn't realize that the character I saw, the Russian thug who set the story in motion, was indeed himself. He is so great, but we seldom if ever see him in English-language movies.

And get ready for CHARLOTTE RAMPLING. What a monster! Almost didn't recognize her, haven't seen her for so long. This beautiful bit will certainly bring her back more often.

The sets? Peculiar. Very, very interesting.

The premise is astonishing: Toorop, this out-at-the elbow mercenary American is living somewhere in (Post-apocalyptic) Russia (of all places. No explanation) as a Russian and on very damned little, but gets an offer for work from one of the big Mafiosi. He is not in a position to refuse, if only because his acceptance means the possibility that he may be able to escape to the USA and his family home. It's a pick-up and delivery gig; some kind of wierd girl. The trip? From Russia, which looks like a scrap yard of barely operational military junk, to possibly Mongolia and an isolated monestary to fetch the girl who will not travel without her own special nun; then by partly-armored vintage 70s Zil, under and over the Silk Road, and then partly by rail to Vladivostak. There, to pick up boat tickets, they wait at the edge of the fozen-over harbor. Did you hear me? Across frigging Asia, man!

Meanwhile, at the terminal there's a horrific bomb blast -- which thanks to the girl they avoid -- and a confusing series of fights and brawls with swarming, dangerous kids, in and through a kind of rickety scaffolding that is almost but not quite architecture. And when the sub appears in the frozen harbor like a black, iron whale, that dreadful scene is handled with cruel, Soviet-like efficiency.

After more adventures they find themselves in New York City. (Now, pop. 21 million: it's Dekerd's cityscape from BLADERUNNER, seen from above. Kosher Tokyo.) There, in Haarlem, the story takes an abrupt twist, and the people who paid for the delivery of the girl, prepare to receive her. (It's The murderous Queen of the Night from THE MAGIC FLUTE and her nasty entourage.) She brings with her unending malice and unspeakable violence. There is a convulsion in which nearly everyone dies.

But not everybody. Our anti-hero is resurrected or transformed into a loving, partly-bionic man, or fusion-droid, in up-state New York. And from there... It's short but home sweet home.

BABYLON A.D. is about as pure a HEAVY METAL adventure as you can find these days, and I intend to watch it again this afternoon. (Envy me, you pathetic corporate deeves!)


5/5 bablyon a.d.
  by L. William-Clark
a good action sci-fi film for adults only because of the profanity. this is not for children.

5/5 Really good, but don't get up.....you'll miss something
  by Barbara Stanko
Finally saw this movie on one of my movie channels. I was impartial about even renting it from what I had been reading. This movie isn't as terrible as everyone makes it out to be. Granted yes you DO have to sit through the whole thing or you may miss something and not understand what is going on. But it is very good. GO OUT AND RENT IT IF YOUR NOT SURE OR WAIT FOR IT TO BE ON TV!!!!

2/5 A Swing & A Miss!
  by Brian Lueth (Chicago, IL United States)
Have you ever watched a film and thought, "This film has so much potential! This concept is awesome!" only to come to the depressing conclusion that the potential will never be fully realized and the concept has taken a backseat to brainless, yet dazzling, action sequences? If so, you may want to beware of the cinematic belly flop that is Babylon A.D.

Maurice G. Dantec's third full-length novel Babylon Babies deserved better than this plotless steamer, it's cyberpunk on par with Phillip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and, as a film, it held amazing promise. Director Kassovitz and Fox Studios had the opportunity to create a science fiction film that wasn't just action-adventure dressed up in slick outfits and fancy gadgets. Instead Fox squandered the incredible concept on action sequence after action sequence strung together by the barest of threads, leaving almost 15 minutes of the film lying on the cutting room floor. Would 15 minutes have made a difference? Could it have better utilized Dantec's fascinating vision? Who knows, I do know this...director Kassovitz has all but disowned this film and after watching it, it's easy to see why.

Babylon A.D.'s cinematography was beautiful, the score was powerful (featuring RZA), production design inspired and the acting was admirable, Diesel's monosyllabic grunting notwithstanding, but viewers are never told squat. The concept is ruined and the finale was mind-blowingly frustrating; I tried to enjoy myself but I desperately wanted details that the film seemed incapable of addressing. Sadly it appears that Fox didn't believe in Dantec or Kassovitz's vision nor in the audience's ability to think and enjoy themselves at the same time.

Babylon A.D. was such an immense disappointment for me as I'm a huge fan of cyberpunk cinema and the work of the highly-capable and beautiful HK starlet Michelle Yeoh. If you're hoping for a dystopian vision with a deep, philosophical story though, similar to Blade Runner, you're barking up the wrong tree. It's obvious the studio's intention was to never properly represent Dantec's work and it shows in the final product. If you're just looking for `splosions and fight sequences, you may find this film to your liking but anybody expecting intelligent, well-crafted science fiction should steer clear; this is an empty, shallow example of studio executives, once again, not "getting it."