Babylon A.D. (2008)

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This much-maligned Vin Diesel film doesn't deserve the hate it has received.

In a rather simple story, mercenary Toorop (Vin Diesel) is hired by Gorsky (Gerard Depardieu, sporting the ugliest makeup in film history...yikes, I hope that's makeup) to deliver a girl from Mongolia to New York. This is all well and good, except the film takes place in the future, where terrorism, global warming, and a new cult-like religion rule an overpopulated planet (New York City's head count is at 32 million). Toorop picks up the girl, Aurora (Melanie Thierry), and Aurora's adoptive mother, Sister Rebeka (Michelle Yeoh). Toorop and his charge encounter a lot of what you might expect in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but director Mathieu Kassovitz acts as if you haven't seen a Mad Max film, and almost gets away with it. His action sequences are insanely good, rivaling a James Bond film in their excitement. His vision of the future owes a lot to "Blade Runner" (it's funny to see that Coca-Cola owns EVERYTHING), although motel water credits aren't that far from the imagination.

The film was dumped in theaters in late summer of 2008 with almost no advertising, and Kassovitz disowned his creation. I watched the 101 minute uncut version on video (not bothering with the ninety minute theatrical version, which apparently is incomprehensible), but the longer version is still unsatisfying. Diesel plays well with the other cast mates, turning in a nice performance, although the tough mercenary who develops a conscience has been seen before. Charlotte Rampling comes along late as the high priestess of the cult, and this turn in the plot feels all wrong. I'm not familiar with Maurice Dantec's source novel Babylon Babies, but the ending, which seemed to hopefully set up a sequel or franchise, is infuriating mostly because you know "Babylon A.D. Deux: It's Babylonning Time!" is not on anyone's horizon. I am not sure if this longer version is simply more action and plot added to recoup losses since the film was a box office disaster, or if Kassovitz had a hand in this version.

"Babylon A.D." is an interesting failure, and full of irony. Set in a future run by mega-corporations, the film was mucked up by...a mega-corporation. The future is now, it seems.

Stats:
(2008) 101 min. (* * *) out of five stars
-Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz
-Screenplay & Scenario and Dialogue by Mathieu Kassovitz & Eric Besnard, Co-Screenplay by Joseph Simas, Based on the novel by Maurice G. Dantec
-Cast: Vin Diesel, Gerard Depardieu, Melanie Thierry, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling, Mark Strong, Lambert Wilson, Jerome Le Banner, Joel Kirby, Souleymane Dicko, David Belle, Radek Bruna, Jan Unger, Abraham Belaga
(Unrated)