Mutant Chronicles

I think this was really something special. It was not what the average person would call good, but it also wasn't bad at all.

I'm somebody that really watches A LOT of movies. About 4-8 in a week. So I am really happy to see a movie that is not like the others. And this one is one of them.

It's like a Comic adaption, it reminded me a little of Sin City and 300. Sci-Fi and Fantasy at the same time. It begins with a war and ends with a 80's team mission horror action-adventure.

I think it's animation is also unique, you recognize that a lot is computer-animated but you don't really care cause it's done really good for a B-Movie. The blood effects give this a feeling of a film-noir like Sin City and it's epic tale reminded me in someway of 300 and Steamboy...

But I still can't tell if it's good or bad, but I can say this movie is completely unique, it had it's own atmosphere and it really entertained me, although it wasn't made in the best way...

I didn't expect much when I saw the title, the name mutant in the title is never a good sign, but I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was really great, being a historian I really enjoyed the weird mix of Great War, cyberpunk and post-WWII United States. Reminded me of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, just not that shiny. The feeling of hopelessness and despair was clearly visible. The characters were typical, no big thumbs up for this one, but not shallow. People who watch movies for the little things like the tone of blood and the color of guts might be disappointed, but for an average movie-goer like me, who goes to the movies for entertainment, not slaughterhouse atmosphere, the special effects were nice. For everyone who still hasn't seen it, the atmosphere is the key in this movie.

So, going into this film, I was not expecting to much. However, after watching this film, I can say I was impressed. There were good actors with Okay rolls. I also have to say, this is what CG effects and backdrops were used for, to give low budget films the interesting environments and effects without killing the budget.

To say the least about this film, it ranks as a top notch SyFy Channel movie. Yes, there are a couple movies on that channel that were good films, and this would be comparable, at the least, to them.

Admittedly, you don't really "feel" for many of the characters, other than Sgt. Hunter. His character, of course, was the primary of the bunch, so that makes sense. The remainder of the cast is just for support, and add for drama.

I have to say, I would like to see a sequel, considering how the film ended. I won't go into that as not to spoil anything.

At the end of the Ice Age, The Machine came from the outer space with the purpose to change men into mutants. However, a hero defeated the device and a great seal was laid over The Machine. In 2707, the depleted world is ruled by four Corporations: Mishima, Bauhaus, Capitol and Imperial that are in constant war. During a battle between Capitol and Bauhaus, the great seal is broken and The Machine works again transforming soldiers and civilians in hordes of mutants. A small part of the population escapes to Mars, leaving millions of people behind. The man of faith and leader of an ancient brotherhood Brother Samuel (Ron Perlman) is a believer of God and the Chronicles, a bible about the mutants. With the city under siege of the mutants, he visits the Corporations' leader Constantine (John Malkovich) asking for an aircraft and twenty men for a suicide mission to destroy The Machine, planting a bomb and a detonator following the knowledge of the Chronicles. He recruits the tough Major 'Mitch' Hunter (Thomas Jane); the Bauhaus Lieutenant Maximillian von Steiner (Benno Fürmann); the keeper of the Chronicles Severian (Anna Walton) that is under a vow of silence; the gorgeous and lethal Corporal Valerie Duval (Devon Aoki); Corporal Juba Kim Wu (Tom Wu); Captain John McGuire (Steve Toussaint); and Corporal Jesus 'El Jesus' de Barrera (Luis Echegaray). Together they become the last hope of Earth against the evil mutants.

"The Mutant Chronicles" is a stylish adventure with a dark cinematography that recalls "Dark City" and "Metropolis" and interesting concepts of war in the trenches (like in World War I) and riveted flying machines (burning coal, like the ships in the beginning of the Twentieth Century). In the end, "The Mutant Chronicles" is neither a masterpiece nor a bad movie as indicated in many reviews; just an entertaining and stylish movie, with reasonable story and acting and great cinematography and especial effects. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Era da Escuridão – Mutant Chronicles" ("The Age of Darkness – Mutant Chronicles")

Fans of Sci-Fi have had to withstand much worse offerings than this movie. I was entertained and the movie kept my attention. I had, originally, just started it as "background noise", but had to rewind it because it began to draw my attention. I watched the making of and, considering the the budget they had to work with, the fact that they used models and matte instead of CGI, the special effects could have been a lot worse. I felt the acting was believable and I didn't see any obvious holes in the plot. I'd watch it again and would recommend it to a fan of Sci-Fi.

I've never understood the indignation of some of the posters on these boards. The movie wasn't over-hyped and is, honestly, quite enjoyable.

I think the cast,crew, and special effects teams all deserve a thumbs up.

Just my humble opinion.