Today’s quick review: Babylon A.D. In a violent future, Toorop (Vin Diesel), a mercenary lying low in Serbia, takes a job escorting a girl (Melanie Thierry) and her protector (Michelle Yeoh) to New York. But as the trip progresses, the girl begins to show strange abilities, and Toorop questions the reason for his mission. Pursued by unknown enemies, Toorop must not only protect the girl but determine who she is and why so many people want her.
Babylon A.D. is a middle-of-the-road science fiction movie with reasonable dose of action and a mysterious plot. Babylon A.D. has strong enough fundamentals to satisfy, if not excite, fans of the sci-fi genre. Its direction is competent, its action has no glaring flaws, and its future is a believable one. But the movie does not reach far beyond these basics, making it a forgettable watch and an easy one to skip.
Babylon A.D.’s chief strengths are its lead character and its world. Vin Diesel makes for an effective protagonist, the toughest mercenary in a world full of them. His gruff personality and unflinching strength hold the same appeal that they did in the Riddick or Fast & Furious movies. However, Toorop has little going for him beyond what Vin Diesel brings to the table. He has no memorable lines, no signature traits, and nothing to make him stand out.
As for its world, Babylon A.D. assembles familiar building blocks in a credible pattern. None of the elements of the world are entirely novel, but they are presented well and form a coherent, dystopian vision of the future. From the desolate war zone of Serbia to the overgrown extravagance of New York, the setting shows thought and craft. Yet the film never really commits to its world, treating it like a backdrop rather than a key part of the story.
Where Babylon A.D. begins to show real weakness is its plot. The setup works just fine: a mercenary escorting a mysterious girl along a dangerous journey. But the movie plays its cards too close to its chest. The conflict throughout most of the movie lacks any context, and when the answers finally come, they are not interesting enough to justify the wait. The last leg of the plot also relies on characters and threads that spring up out of nowhere.
Watch Babylon A.D. if you are a science fiction fan looking for a little something to nosh on. Though not a groundbreaking entry into the genre, Babylon A.D is a passable one. Skip it if you aren’t already a sci-fi fan or you’re looking for something more rewarding. For a more effective sci-fi drama with a similar plot, check out Children of Men. For a surreal, experimental sci-fi film with similar elements, check out Immortal.
5.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for decent but unexciting science fiction.