Aeon Flux based on the MTV animated series,  takes place 400 years in the future.  After a virus destroys 99% of the world's population, the survivors form a walled city with strict rules and beliefs to which the residents are forced to adhere.  A small group of rogues, called Monicans, set out to overthrow the government by sending one of their best, Aeon (Charlize Theron - North Country), to assassinate Chairman Trevor Goodchild (Marton Csokas -Lord of the Rings, XXX). But is the assassination of Goodchild the way to achieve their freedom or is there a more sinister faction at work?

 

The animated series was rather groundbreaking back in the 1990's when it aired on MTV and had a lot of things that appealed to MTV's audience (primarily teens-mid 20's): tight outfits, hot chicks, cool action, etc.  This film certainly has that and will, I imagine, appeal to the same age range. 

 

Director Karyn Kusama (Girlfight) certainly delivers a film that is colorful. The set design is futuristic and has vibrant colors which jump off the screen. There is plenty of action - lots of Martial arts, fighting and gunplay.  The costumes are ornate and certainly leave nothing to the imagination.  And there is plenty of eye candy!  Charlize Theron is stunning and just every man's fantasy in this film (as witnessed by the gasps and comments every time she appeared onscreen from the guys in the audience!)  Marton Csokas looks fantastic in some lovely high fashion menswear. 

 

The problem with this film is what I call the "Ridley Scott disease".  There are large sections of fight and action scenes that go on forever....and then they take a short break to throw a little bit of the plot in, which happens when one of the characters just tells everyone what is going on before going into another fight scene.  Basically the problem I had with Aeon Flux is that there is no real story.  The storyline is not that complicated and could have been told in about half an hour.  It drives me nuts when films open with the whole back story being typed on the screen.  Can they not find another way to explain the history than that?! (With the exception, of course, of Star Wars, which is...of course....Star Wars). 

 

The actors do quite well with what is essentially a non-dialogue script.  Theron manages to show ranging emotions even when she is kicking someone's butt and Csokas is really genial and sympathetic as the Chairman Goodchild.  There are also some nice moments from Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda), Jonny Lee Miller (Hackers), Frances McDormand (North Country) and a small cameo from Theron's real-life beau Stewart Townsend.

 

If you want to see some hot chicks and hot guys kicking some serious butt and don't care about storyline at all, this is a good bet!

 

2 1/2 out of 5