[usr 3.5]
In a post-apocalyptic world where cities ride on wheels and consume each other to survive, two people meet in London and try to stop a conspiracy.
It’s that time of year again. The time when in-laws are knocking and people are shopping. A time when period pieces reign supreme and the mall fills with teens. A time when Bing Crosby and Michael Buble take over the radio. That’s right. I’m talking about Christmas. Every year for Christmas we’re greeted with a slew of films almost as if it’s pre-programmed. There are your Oscar contenders and indie darlings. There’s your kids animated movie. There’s your very on-the-nose seasonal flick (typically about some poor white male reconnecting with his family or former flame.) Then there’s your big fantasy movie. Without realizing it, for the better part of the last decade, Peter Jackson’s managed to release a fantasy epic just in time for the holidays. Instead of “The Hobbit,” this year we’re granted a new piece: Christian Rivers’ “Mortal Engines” and just like previous Jackson-funded-fantasy-epics, we admire the sheer craft, even if the story feels a little trite.
“Mortal Engines” follows Hester Shaw (great name right?) a vagabond hunting for revenge for her mother. Only, the Earth’s crust slagged into one giant landmass after a quantum-nuclear world war three. Cities exist in roving form, crossing the wastelands of a new Pangaea made up of incredibly vast and huge wheeled monsters. On the bustling city of London, Thaddeus Valentine hunts down the last remaining pieces of “old tech” to recreate the weapons that forged this hellish earth so he can conquer the wastelands as his own. The only thing stopping him is Hester Shaw and local historian Tom Natsworthy. Add in a few rebellious spirits and one Shangri-La-esque city on the hill and you’ve got yourself quite the fantasy adventure.
From the very get-go, the movie is an absolute ride. The first thirty minutes really take you for a spin, not only establishing the world but situating us smack dab in the middle of the story. By the time Hester and Tom fall off the city of London we have a fairly decent grasp at where this story is going. With similar beats from “Star Wars” and several Young Adult fiction novels, we’re jettisoned into the badlands. From there the story kind of takes care of itself winding our protagonist through a series of unintentional consequences until they finally line themselves up against Thaddeus and his gleaming vessel of modernity.
The greatest thing this story does is share a brave imagination by conjuring up such unique images of entire cities rolling on monster-truck-sized wheels. Hefty amounts of money brought this vision to life and its steampunk trappings shine brightly throughout the film. Whether it’s the airships, the monster truck cities, the swashbuckler costuming, or the elaborate effects sequences, this movie does not spare any expense to really open this world up for the viewer. Only in a few sequences did the cinematography cut my enjoyment short with some frustrating shaky cam effect. Where I wanted to see the ensuing battle I found two-tenths-of-a-second frames cut together choppy and emotionless. I struggled to keep the pace during the sequences and it disappointed me not to drink in more of the good work done.
The cast, largely a group of newcomers, find strong emotional beats to play even if the story feels a little contrived. Hera Hilmar plays our savage and wonderful protagonist with quiet ferocity. Her partner, Robert Sheehan, might get mistaken for an Eddie Redmayne lookalike but I assure you they are nothing alike. Sheehan brings heart and honesty to his role as a sincere, if not naïve, young man too scared to dream. Jihae delivers full Morpheus-matrix era badassery with her sunglasses and combative atmosphere. Add in Hugo Weaving as a multifaceted villain and you have an entertaining watch. I think it’s safe to say this movie will be a calling card for these new actors and a feather in their caps for future career moves.
By and large, I enjoyed this flick. I basked in the imaginative environment brought to life, even if the story felt mostly standard for a fantasy flick. What I really want to mention is Stephen Lang’s character Shrike. His tragic story plays the most emphatically in this screen and by the time his character is out of the story you truly feel for him. As a half-dead mutant, steampunk android, who knew Lang’s role could elicit such emotion? I found myself tearing up to hear his backstory. He brought true heart to the film. Overall, I’d say the story felt a little contrived with hints of real empathy. It may not move you to tears but this time of year, when everything gets particularly nutty, it’ll take you away from your world, if only for a short while, and that’s not so bad.
In theaters Friday, December 14th
