CHRYSALIS
Directed by: Julien Leclercq Written by: Julien Leclercq, Nicolas Peufaillit, Franck Philippon, Aude Py Starring: Albert Dupontel, Marie Guillard, Marthe Keller, Mélanie Thierry, Claude PerronAvailable at Play.com for £11.99 Review by Oliver Pfeiffer
rating: 4
CHRYSALIS is something of a rarity in French cinema: a bold, edgy and very dark futuristic conspiracy thriller with all the Philip K Dick themes and neo-noir trimmings. After its recent run in French cinemas it never got the proper distribution it so thoroughly deserved in the U.K therefore us Brits get to view it here for the first time on DVD release. The story commences in unassuming mode as a mother and daughter are quietly driving through a city only to be involved in a sudden and horrific car accident which renders at least one party critically injured. Then before we are even allowed to draw breath we are bled dry by an electrifying and frenetic credit sequence shootout between two romantically linked coppers and an escaped criminal, which equally ends tragically as the perpetrator kills off one of the party. It is 2025 and the world (or at least Paris) bestows a cold, clinic black/blue décor where steal and metal chew up the natural scenery and a decadent resonance quietly broods beneath the surface. Still suffering from the ordeal which claimed his wife in the aforementioned shoot out, disgruntled cop David Hoffman (IRREVERSIBLEs Albert Dupontel) is assigned with new recruit Marie, (Marie Guillard) to help keep him in line during his inevitable vigilante quest to bring the perpetrator Dimitri Nikolov (Stunt co-ordinator Alain Figlarz) to justice. The duos investigations lead them to another murder case where the female body bears distinguishable markings on her upper and lower eyelids, which are eventually connected to the unorthodox operations undertaken in a secret laboratory clinic. The clinic is used by a holographic surgeon (Marthe Keller) to attempt to restore the memory of her beautiful daughter who was involved in the earlier car accident, but more sinister motivations appear to be lurking amongst these corporate surroundings. To reveal more is to undermine the heart and mystery nature of the story. There are some weighty issues concerning death, immortality and the complex consequences of meddling with human nature in this intelligent, thought-provoking and provocative science-fiction movie, which is handled with real flair and attention by debuting writer director Julien Leclercq. The overly persuasive monochromic aesthetic draws you into the narrative long enough to forgive the fact that the films purpose has been shrouded in mystery for a little longer than necessary. And ultimately the denouncement does more to clutter than clarify things, but with an array of fine kinetic long-take action set pieces, a neat character twist which no one will see coming and a sterling performance by Dupontel (who painfully undertook most of his own stunt work) along with a swift pace theres little to grumble about. Aesthetically CHRYSALIS recalls the likes of BLADE RUNNER and particularly the pale blue sheen of MINORITY REPORT, but probe a little further into the subtext of human rejuvenation and the real influential forerunners are ultimately unveiled as the vintage horror classics likes of FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and Georges Franjus haunting chiller EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1960). EXTRAS The bare bones unfortunately: A resourceful but purposeless U.K trailer and a solid if by the numbers 25 minute making of documentary, which details the usual production challenges faced by the director and his cast and crew. We get to witness how some of those brutally confined fight sequences were choreographed (by celebrated stunt Co-ordinator and co-star Alain Figlarz), and take a look into the audacious visual conceptions visualised by director Leclercq, which includes the beautifully rendered pivotal surgery scene set to the smoothing strings of Flower Duet" by Léo Delibes. OVERALL This is essential viewing for any dedicated science-fiction nut or anyone who enjoys there futuristic thrillers typically grim and dystopian. It also passes as an enthralling Chandleresque detective mystery and if you become slightly perplexed and overwhelmed by the complexity of the denouncement you can always grant the film another chance and let those hypnotic blues and greyish tones wash over you once more. CHRYSALIS is an absorbing and visually arresting film and one which doesnt come around too often.