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Renaissance

6/10

Stars: (Voices, English-language version): Daniel Craig, Romola Garai, Catherine McCormack, Jonathan Pryce, Ian Holm, Sean Pertwee

Director: Christian Volckman

Shot in black and white 'motion capture', the same process used in Polar Express and Monster House, this eye-hurting film is a science-fiction thriller set in a Paris of the fantasy future.

Hard-boiled maverick cop Karas (voiced by new James Bond Daniel Craig), assigned to the case of missing scientist Ilona Tassueiv (Garai with an American accent), falls for her worldly older sister (McCormack with an English accent).

Soon, he uncovers a corporation seeking the secret of immortality - seemingly discovered by Ilona.

Visually very inventive, this ground-breaking animation is let down by an ordinary script that dusts down most of the clich?s of the genre, even if its central plot element is cleverly worked out.

'People round me disappear,' growls Karas, which is all too apparent, since half the cast has 'disappeared' before the film is over. And the luminescent monochrome artwork, though striking at first, becomes wearing after a while, compelling you to concentrate hard in order to follow what's going on. (There is no copyright date on this film)

David Quinlan

France/UK/Luxembourg 2006. UK Distributor: Path?. Black and white.
105 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 22 Jul 2006