Aeon Flux...Worth Seeing???

[Lunar]

Hey guys, I know this isnt the greatest thread ever, but I hadnt seen anything really from people around about the new movie. IF any of you guys have seen it, is this one worth going to check out in the theaters or shall I wait until this hits DVD in a few months?

[Klep]

Definitely.  It's getting trashed in reviews, but I think for the most part the reviewers either don't understand the source material or just have sour grapes that they weren't given the movie ahead of time.

The complaints:
1)Some (just some) of the acting is stilted.  The 'Handler' character in particular is who I'm thinking of.
2)The plot development moves too quickly at the beginning of the film.  They should have taken a bit more time to set things up.
3)The plot is not faithful to the cartoon, and as a result they have to change Trevor's character a bit(I didn't really have a problem with this, but I know some people will)


As for what's good, the setting and characters are nailed.  It really feels right.  Something reviewers are failing to notice is that Charlize Theron's deadpan delivery is not just poor acting, but a part of the character.  Aeon never let emotion into her voice.  Nonetheless, you can still read the distress and other emotions going on by, I dunno, looking at her face (that's about a foot up from where you were looking before).  In addition, the fashions and the sometimes almost grotesque technologies of Aeon Flux are all there, and it really just feels like they pulled it right out of the cartoon into real life.

The plot has some problems, as I mentioned, but it is still reasonably solid.  You end up caring about a number of characters and it isn't clear until near the end who is going to die and who isn't (aside from Aeon, of course.  You don't kill the Oscar winner ;P).  Ultimately, it all comes together rather nicely and makes for what I thought was a fine film.  I'm looking forward to picking it up on DVD.

[Bram]

Yeah, I heard about that a week or two back...I had no idea they were making it. If it is anywhere mear as cool as the original cartoon, it will rock. That cartoon was awesome. It was like the Western World's answer to Anime. The Maxx and Phantom 2020 kinda used the same style of drawing, and they were the mutt's nutts, too.

/me scoots over to imdb to check out trivia.

Hmm. Charlise Theron in the lead...I just don't see it.

[Lunar]

Yeh, I only saw it pop up in a preview about a week or two ago as well...apparently the producers wouldnt allow the reviewers to see it in advance because they knew it would get hammered...

Thanks Klep for your review, I think ill try to get out to see it..

Anybody else?

[vartemis]

On a side note, I picked up the Chung Box set this week and had mixed feelings on it.  There was a great restoration job on it, but the way they set it up was terrible.  The box set is 3 discs.  Disc one is Chungs episodes, disc 2 is Howard E. Baker, and disc 3 is all suplimental stuff. The problem with this is that the episodes are not in order.  All the ones on Chung's disc are in chronological order, but there are still some episodes that Baker did that should go in between.  And the episodes on Baker's disc arent even in order.  wtf?  Some of it just doesnt make sense. 

There is one episode that really confused me. In Ether Drift Theory, Aeon dies, but its just another clone, right? because the original Aeon died in a previous episode.  Each episode was designed to sort of be stand alone, correct?

j

[Kowal]

Okay.  I like sci fi, and I like oggling Charlise Theron.  But I've been racking my brain trying to think of anything that I've ever seen that was a more horrible moviegoing experience, and I can't think of a damned thing.

The acting was beyond wretched.  This was helped in no small part by the fact that the script is the biggest, most steaming pile of animal feces ever written.  Better scripts have been written by illiterate kindergarteners with crayons while intoxicated.

I don't care what the references are or what the Aeon Flux lineage is.  This movie was horribly done and anybody arguing otherwise is just trying to deflect some of the flames that should be aimed at this shitty flick for a love of the Aeon Flux legacy.  When Episode 1 first came out, a lot of Star Wars fans (and I mean a LOT) argued that it wasn't that bad for a long time before hating it became in for science fiction geeks.  I'm drawing a parallel here, except by comparison episode 1 was a masterpiece.  I'm not even kidding either; the script and acting in Phantom Menace was actually superior to that of Aeon Flux.  Let that sink in before you shell out your 7.50.

EDIT:  Might I add on the topic of oggling Charlise Theron, you can't even really do that effectively because the above points make it difficult to sport a chubby.  I was limp for days after seeing this piece of trash.

[Klep]

It's starting to look like Aeon Flux is a pretty polarizing movie, and I'm not sure why. Either you like it, or you think it's the worst movie ever.  At any rate, it is certainly better than Episode 1.  Nothing in Aeon Flux even approaches the level of suck of that kid's acting.  I'm not merely some fanboy apologist.  While I did enjoy the cartoon, I am in no way devoted to it enough to fail to trash the movie if it is horrible.  I genuinely enjoyed it and genuinely think it is a decent film.

[Lunar]

shell out your 7.50

If ONLY the theaters near me were that cheap, id probably see more movies in theater.

Must be nice, I remember about 5 years ago here when I could see one for that price on the big screen.

[Joblin Velder]

2 1/2 hours of one episode. DUMB. This was not Aeon Flux.

[Anusien]

But I've been racking my brain trying to think of anything that I've ever seen that was a more horrible moviegoing experience, and I can't think of a damned thing.

Ever seen I, Robot?

[Cross]

Ever seen "Wild Wild West"?

[Komatteru]

Ever seen "Wild Wild West"?

This is without a doubt the worst movie ever made.

[Machinus]

Planet of the Apes (the 2001 version with Mark Wahlberg) is the worst movie I have ever been tricked into seeing. Possibly worst acting I have ever seen, judged by either human or monkey standards.

[Magi]

It is evident no one here has seen a movie directed by Godfrey Ho, who has directed a number of smash hits such as:

- Ninja Destroyer
- Grand Master of Shaolin Kung Fu
- Raiders of Bhuddist Kung Fu
- Leopard Fist Ninja
- Incredible Shaolin Thunderkick
- Champ Against Champ
- Ninja Terminator
- Ninja Masters of Death
- Ninja Champion
- Majestic Thunderbolt
- Inferno Thunderbolt
- Ninja Thunderbolt
- The Ultimate Ninja
- Ninja, the Violent Sorcerer
- Ninja, the Protector
- Ninja Squad
- Ninja Hunt
- Ninja Fantasy
- Ninja Dragon
- Diamond Ninja Force
- Zombie VS Ninja (***** OMG!!!!!)
- Ninja Phantom Heroes
- Ninja Operation: Licensed to Terminate
- Ninja Death Squad
- Ninja Commandments
- Ninja Avengers
- Ninja and the Warriors of Fire
- Cobra VS Ninja
- Ninja Strike Force
- Ninja Powerforce
- Ninja Force of Assassins
- Full Metal Ninja
- Ninja Fist of Fire
- Bionic Ninja
- Rage of Ninja
- Thunder Ninja Kids: Wonderful Mission
- Power Force
- Kickboxer the Champion
- Kickboxer King
- Robo-Kickboxer: Power of Justice
- Kickboxer from Hell

To quote one reviewer (on the movie "Ninja in the Killing Fields" [1984]):

In fact the original movie into which the new scenes featuring Stuart Smith have been spliced, must surely rank as one of the most jaw drop-ingly dreadful atrocities ever to grace my TV screen!

It was so bad in fact that I had literally had to fight from falling into a state of catatonia as the interminable 'storyline' (which I couldn't understand anyway) meandered on aimlessly for what seemed like an eternity! Yes folks, this was surely the cinematic equivalent of purgatory as described by Dante in Paradise Lost (although in truth, this was probably far, far worse!)

But just as I was about to drift off into final oblivion, Stuart Smith suddenly appeared in an action scene! AT LAST!!!

We see him driving in a beat up looking old car when suddenly a ninja jumps onto the roof and proceeds to stab his sword repeatedly through it! Fear not though, this evil ninja ends up under the wheels of the car and our hero reverses over him a few times! However the ordeal isn't over yet, for lying in wait is yet another ninja, this time armed with explosive tipped arrows! This miscreant scum bag fires one which blows up our heroes car (seemingly with him in it!) Surely no man could survive such an ordeal?!

Apparently our hero is no ordinary man as in the next scene he is running around (sans his shirt) and is attacked by more assailants (dressed as gardeners!)

Wow! I was wide awake again after all that action but……..much to my dismay…….the OTHER story suddenly came back on again!

I can only liken the sudden come down effect this had as being like when one feels a big sneeze coming on and then……nothing comes out!

It wasn't looking like I was going to make it to the end of this movie…..I really could not take much more of the dreariness….but then….with only 15 or so minutes of the film to go, things took a completely unexpected and dramatic turn…….

You see good reader, the last 15 or so minutes of this film are possibly the most hilarious 15 minutes in cinematic history! 'You jest' I hear you say? Trust me on this…..you really have not lived until you have seen the last 15 glorious minutes of Ninja In The Killing Fields.

How to describe it? Where and indeed how can I begin to relate the absolute genius (unintentional I suspect) that makes for the climax of this film?

In what has to be the most brazenly spectacular example of cut and paste film-making ever, the army in tanks (from the original film) appear to take on hundreds of (newly edited in) Ninja! We thus get to witness numerous shots of ninja getting blown sky high after tank shells land right next to them! It is so over the top that one can't help but to gasp in astonishment!

But this is only the beginning!

The main ninja villain having realised that perhaps the tide has turned against him takes a few of his ninja cronies and attempts to make a get away…..in a crappy looking old car!

From a distance away our hero spies them (with a telescope!) and with a whisking motion of his hand suddenly turns into a yellow silk clad ninja!

By this stage I was in disbelief but….it gets even better (or worse depending upon your view point)

The ninja getaway car gets stuck in a ditch (presumably dug by our hero) This obstacle prompts the ninja occupants to get out and give their vehicle a push.

Now on paper this might not sound particularly out of the ordinary but there's just something innately hilarious in watching these supposed masters of the deadly arts of ninjitsu heaving a car out of a ditch!

Aided by this time consuming diversion our hero is able to move in on his opponents and he manages to wipe them out with considerable ease.

The stage is now set for the final confrontation between our hero and the main ninja bad guy.

During this final battle our hero manages to cut off one of his opponent's hands but incredibly the severed hand itself makes one final desperate attempt to kill him! The yellow ninja finally blows his opponent up with a handy wrist gun/missile type gadget which would no doubt make even James Bond envious.

But this isn't quite the end….for in one of the most bizarre and surreal final moments of any movie we see that the bad ninja has in fact turned into a toad (!)….which then multiplies into 2 toads, 4 toads etc (!!!!!)

I simply can't recommend this absolutely mad movie enough! You really must see it to believe it!

Godfrey Ho is responsible for the worst movies ever.

[jpmeyer]

Stealth was incompetent on such a fundamental level that I'm amazed that it made it through post-production.

[Klep]

And really, let us not forget Manos, The Hands of Fate.

[Jacob Orlove]

Manos is now #13 on IMDB's Bottom 100.

[Klep]

Manos is now #13 on IMDB's Bottom 100.

That's outrageous.  I know what is contained within "From Justin to Kelly" and it is a MUCH better movie than Manos.

[Bram]

#1   Anus Magillicutty

o.O

I'm glad to see Battlefield Earth is on that Bottom 100 List, too. It really was that bad. No matter how horrible Aeon Flux may prove to be, I can go with the certainly that I'll never feel as cheated out of my money as was the case back then.

WTF? Surf Nazis Must Die is on there, too. That's just not right.

[Kowal]

Wild Wild West and I Robot were both leagues and bounds ahead of this movie.  Aeon Flux really was that bad.

[jpmeyer]

Manos is now #13 on IMDB's Bottom 100.

That's just because of the legions of people fighting back against the Manos fans.  This is why Manos has so many votes compared to the other movies on the bottom 100.

[orgcandman]

Ever seen "Wild Wild West"?

This is without a doubt the worst movie ever made.

Leprechaun: Back 2 da hood.

I.Rest.My.Case.

[Lunar]

Well as bad as Back 2 da hood was, Leprachaun in Space was pretty bad too...

[Limbo]

Planet of the Apes (the 2001 version with Mark Wahlberg) is the worst movie I have ever been tricked into seeing. Possibly worst acting I have ever seen, judged by either human or monkey standards.

Quoted fot thruthery, although Stealth and the Specialist are coming in close. Dishonarable mention to Vampire 3000.

[Matt]

Disney's "Cheetah" was the only movie I've ever walked out on. Though I wish I'd walked out of Congo, but I kept saying to myself, "Okay, THIS must be where it gets good!"

[Revvik]

I only paid $5.50 to see this and I feel bad.
Although I did see the MtV logo at the beginning and ask myself if it was too late to get a refund.

[Joblin Velder]

I only paid $5.50 to see this and I feel bad.
Although I did see the MtV logo at the beginning and ask myself if it was too late to get a refund.

I was right there with you.

[Bram]

On a not completely unrelated note, I found out yesterday that the largest chain of cinema's in The Netherlands (Pathe Cinema) has an interesting offer. For 17,50 euro a month (some 20 bucks) you get a non-transferable Unlimited Pass that allows you to see any movie in any of their theaters at any time (so no exceptions for weekends or evenings or special previews or whatever). A normal ticket costs 8,75 euro (around 10 bucks). Their theatres are awesome, by the way. Large, good sound, screen and chairs (important!), represented in every major city and some minor ones (like mine) and because they all have anywhere between 6 and 10 or so screens, they pretty much show everything decent that comes out.

My questions:
- is the price for a regular ticket somewhat similar over there?
- do any cinema's offer similar subscriptions in the US (because I think it's hella useful for a movie fan)
- would YOU buy one (i.e. do you go to the movies more than twice a month)?

[Joblin Velder]

I would go more than twice a month with that offer.

[Bram]

Yeah, that's another possibilty ofcourse. That it actually makes you visit the cinema more often, and so automatically becomes economical. With this pass and the cinema around the corner, I guess I'll be spending less time on IRC