Babylon A.D.: A Dystopian Disappointment?
Set in a near-future ravaged by conflict and disease, “Babylon A.D.” follows the hardened mercenary Toorop (Vin Diesel). He’s a veteran of countless regional wars, a man with a simple, pragmatic outlook on life. Toorop accepts a high-stakes assignment: escort a mysterious package from Eastern Europe to the United States.
The mission quickly spirals into chaos. A virus bomb detonates in Central Asia, triggering a continent-wide quarantine. The “package” turns out to be a volatile young woman named Aurora (Mélanie Thierry). She carries a secret within her womb – either a deadly virus intended to cripple the West, or a genetically engineered savior humanity desperately awaits.
As Toorop navigates the treacherous Trans-Siberian Railway and the frozen Bering Strait, he must fend off relentless enemies. His destination is New York City, where a sinister woman with serpentine eyes (Charlotte Rampling) awaits Aurora, eager to exploit her potential to establish a new world religion.
Kassovitz Goes Hollywood
Mathieu Kassovitz, the French director known for his gritty social dramas, first flirted with big-budget genre filmmaking in “The Crimson Rivers” (2000). He then ventured to Hollywood, where he directed the supernatural thriller “Gothika” (2003), a by-the-numbers horror film seemingly designed to prove his loyalty to the studio system. With “Babylon A.D.”, Kassovitz received the green light and a substantial budget to create a futuristic dystopia – a genre where French filmmakers should theoretically excel. However, the presence of American producers appears to have stifled his creative vision.
Despite Kassovitz’s own harsh criticism of the film, “Babylon A.D.” isn’t a complete disaster. There are moments of genuine excitement, such as Diesel battling his way across the Trans-Siberian Railway and traversing the Bering Strait in a Russian submarine packed with refugees. However, these isolated scenes fail to coalesce into a cohesive and impactful whole.
Vin Diesel, with his signature charisma and shaved head, is undeniably watchable. But Toorop lacks the depth and complexity of a character like Riddick. Mélanie Thierry’s Aurora also feels underdeveloped. One can’t help but imagine Milla Jovovich in the role, but that would have transformed the film into a Luc Besson production rather than a Kassovitz film.
Missed Opportunities
Charlotte Rampling delivers a memorably malevolent performance, complemented by a brief but grotesque appearance from Gérard Depardieu as a cynical puppet master of the new world order. The chemistry between these two actors is palpable, but the film unfortunately doesn’t focus on their characters.
The film’s biggest misstep is its heavy-handed, inspirational tone. The genetically modified blonde with superpowers, whether she’s meant to be a new Madonna, the Fifth Element, or a cybernetic MacGuffin, is a tired trope in science fiction. The film’s attempts to evoke patriotic fervor feel forced and out of place.
Ultimately, this Franco-American collaboration falls short of its potential. It’s a shame, because French cinema has a rich history of innovative science fiction, as evidenced by films like “Immortel (ad vitam)” (2004) and “Nirvana” (1997).
One wonders if Kassovitz was able to share his vision with his American partners, or if his creative input was suppressed by a studio system known for its cynicism and control. In any case, Kassovitz’s next film will reportedly be a departure from the science fiction genre.