Today’s quick review: Immortal. In the year 2095, the Egyptian gods strip Horus (Thomas M. Pollard) of his immortality and allow him to live on Earth for one week before his execution. Horus chooses Nikopol (Thomas Kretschmann), a political dissident recently escaped from cryoprison, as his host and begins searching for Jill (Linda Hardy), an amnesiac with unique biology and a mysterious destiny.
Immortal is a science fiction film loosely based on the French graphic novels by Enki Bilal. The movie depicts a futuristic New York where genetic engineering has radically changed society, an Egyptian pyramid looms above the skyline, and an inexplicable rift has opened in Central Park. With artistic direction, a cryptic plot, and prevalent CGI, Immortal is a unique, experimental sci-fi film with a number of flaws.
The tone of Immortal resembles that of a Philip K. Dick story: a cold and unrecognizable future, an amnesiac protagonist, and themes of powerlessness and identity. The future has brought revolutionary advances in technology, quasi-dystopian societal upheaval, and a few changes that are not so easy to categorize. This sense of disconnection is reflected in the two protagonists: Nikopol, a possessed fugitive, and Jill, an outcast with no memory.
The setting of Immortal has the same far-flung speculation as The Fifth Element but without the comforting layer of campiness. Every nook and cranny of the film is packed with world-building, from the various applications of gene technology to hints at the world’s recent history. These details can be a lot to take in, but they give the firm impression that Immortal is set in a cohesive sci-fi world, one that can barely fit in a single movie.
While most of the concepts Immortal uses are not new to the sci-fi genre, they are confidently executed and treated as a crucial part of the setting, rather than mere filler. At the same time, Immortal is not afraid to take liberties with the genre, tossing in the Egyptian gods and a whole slew of otherworldly abilities. The resulting blend sets Immortal apart from more conventional films that phone in their world-building for the sake of expediency.
The plot of Immortal starts odd and gets odder. The movie follows several key plot threads, each with its own mysteries and learning curve. The threads involving Jill, Nikopol, and Horus form the main story, but parallel stories involving the supporting cast crisscross the main one in peculiar ways. The payoff to all this setup is dulled by the characters’ lack of agency and the unclear nature of the conflict.
The film’s visuals are a mixed bag. The environments are done in intricate, flavorful, and well-realized CGI, although they tend to be visually cluttered. The practical effects and costumes are all competent, grounding the setting well. But almost all of the supporting characters are portrayed by crude CGI models that have not aged well. The contrast between the live-action main cast and their misproportioned CGI counterparts remains jarring throughout the movie.
Watch Immortal if you are in the mood for an experimental, artistic entry into the science fiction genre. Between the bleak tone, the tangled plot, and the middling amount of action, Immortal does not scratch the usual sci-fi itch. Most viewers would be better off skipping it. But those few, dedicated science fiction fans looking for something off the beaten path should check it out.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for ambitious, artistic sci-fi with mixed execution.