This animated film is based in Paris 2054 and is a story surrounding the disappearance of Ilona Tasuiev a researcher at the Avalon Corporation. Avalon is a company that has managed to gain great power in society and their motto 'Avalon we're with you for life' can be seen and heard from the entire city.
Ilona is abducted, but this is not strange in this futuristic Paris, as kidnappings are at an all time high. However as we later learn, Ilona is a special case and the Avalon Corporation or namely the head of the corporation Paul Dellenbach wants her found without delay. The local law enforcement is called in and Captain Barthélémy Karas is placed as the head of the investigation team and seems to be quite good at finding and retrieving abductees. You get the impression of this from an earlier scene where he saves a young boy being threatened by would be kidnappers. So we know he is an expert in this area.
Ilona's sister Bislane also works at the Avalon Corporation, but in the Records Department. Unlike her sister Ilona, Bislane is not so taken in by Avalon's philosophies which causes a bit of friction between them. Karas questions Bislane about her sister but doesn't come up with much information and she manages to escape from the briefing room
and start her own investigation which leads her to a book that Ilona was trying to buy on the black market about a particular piece of research.
Karas' own investigations lead him to Dr Jonas Muller who Ilona currently worked with. Dr Muller is able to give some information on the research that Ilona was looking into regarding Progeria, the nature of premature aging especially in children.
Bislane and Karas later decide to team up to try and find out the truth behind Ilona's kidnap. Their investigation will lead them to the top of the Avalon corporation and to the key to a secret research project, that if found, will change the whole world forever.
This film was created through a collaboration of the director Christian Volckman, Marc Miance and 2 writers Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de la Patelliere. The storyline of the film I felt was adequate but wasn't that original. I found I was frequently distracted by the actual animation and how they did it then everything that was happening on screen and also felt that if this was a normal film I wouldn't have really been that interested in the plot.
Saying that the film does have it's moments such as the fight scenes with the invisible soldiers sent by Avalon to thwart Karas from learning too much and the scene when Bislane manages to infiltrate Avalon's archives and almost gets caught.
The characters were fine and realistic, but I felt they were very much stereotypical roles. So we have the tough moody cop Karas who defy's his superiors and always gets his man, and the female interest Bislane who can strike out on her own for a while but has to go back to Karas for the real help. There's also the greedy and powerful criminal Dellenbach flanked by his army suitably mean and shifty.
The characters were voiced for the British speaking market by some famous names. Daniel Craig voiced Karas, Catherine McCormack voiced Bislane, with Ian Holme as Muller and Jonathan Pryce as Dellenbach. They all carried out their parts well, but what I found a bit disconcerting at first was hearing the distinctive voice of Jonathan Pryce coming from a character that looked completely different. But this was just a personal observation and didn't detract from the film.
The film is shot in black and white without, as the director says, any grey. I'm not sure what this means technically but it gave the film a moody feel which worked well. It kept reminding me of the Blade Runner film especially the scenes of the city.
The music was mainly incidental to match the mood of the scenes, apart from the early night club scene when there was some dance music. But this was for a very short duration and for the most part the music score was pretty unmemorable.
This would be an interesting movie for anyone interested in films based entirely on animation, and is really just a bit of light entertainment so I wouldn't recommend this to buy until you've seen it first just in case it really isn't up your street.
Characters Daniel Craig - Barthélémy Karas Romola Garai - Ilona Tasuiev Catherine McCormack - Bislane Tasuiev Ian Holm - Jonas Muller Jonathan Pryce - Paul Dellenbach
Directed by - Christian Volckman Music - Nicholas Dodd Performed by The Philharmonic Orchestra
Dvd Information Set Up Scene Selection
Extra Features Making of Renaissance - Going through the concept of how the idea was conceived, and how the Characterization, design and location were decided upon and put together.
Maaz - Short Film - I didn't quite understand this film but it seemed to be about a man running through a series of tunnels like a maze and is apparently a mixture of 3D and CG technologies, and was the film that inspired Renaissance.
Photogalleries - Props , Characters, Enviroments
Other releases - Movies that were due to be released around the same time as this film
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Sounds a bit strange. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but would probably check it out if it ever came on TV, just to see what it was really like, after reading your review.
baalzamon 17.09.2007 11:28
I've been told that it's showing on Sky at the moment, so I'll try to catch it. Good review. John
Style trumps substance inRenaissance, a 2006 French film whose breathtaking visuals ... more
largely overcome its shortcomings in the areas of story and character development. Detailed in a lengthy and absorbing "making of" featurette, the film's look is a comb...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Paris 2054. Live forever or die trying. In 2054 Paris is a labyrinth where all movement ... more
is monitored and recorded. Casting a shadow over everything is the city's largest company Avalon which insinuates itself into every aspect of contemporary life ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Style trumps substance inRenaissance, a 2006 French film whose breathtaking visuals ... more
largely overcome its shortcomings in the areas of story and character development. Detailed in a lengthy and absorbing "making of" featurette, the film's look is a comb...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
In 2054, Paris is a labyrinth where all movement is monitored and recorded. Casting a ... more
shadow over everything is the city's largest company, Avalon, which insinuates itself into every aspect of contemporary life to sell its primary export - youth and be...
Advantages: Realistic feel - language, scenery, clothes and music are all spot on, excellent acting Disadvantages: Strong language may put some people off, definitely no happy ending in sight
JVL 08.11.2001 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Quadrophenia (DVD)
Advantages: Beautiful, varied examples of animation. Action. Great storylines. Excellent music Disadvantages: Some don't like animation or may find it all to complex or far-fetched
stinkbadger 14.03.2006 ·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Animatrix (DVD)
![Renaissance [DVD] [2006]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78226697.jpg "Renaissance [DVD] [2006]")
exceptional by (3%):
very helpful by (97%):
