Aktion Mutante

Accion Mutante are a group of disabled terrorists who think of themselves as mutants and who see their mission as being to rid the world of pretty people and superficiality. Unfortunately, they are quite fabulously inept at what they do, and they are totally mistrusting of each other (with good cause, it turns out!)

This film is a comic masterpiece: the direction is a cinematic treat and the more times you watch it, the better it gets.

To give you an idea of just how impressed I was, I rented the film once and then went back to the rental shop and bought that copy from them.

If you enjoy off-beat, quirky movies that defy genre then you're going to love this; if you don't enjoy such eccentric celluloid expeditions then you may surprise yourself by enjoying this anyway. I can assure you that it'll be unlike anything you've seen before - go on, take a chance.

Accion Mutante is the debut feature from cult director Álex de la Iglesia. It incorporates the absurd comedy with violence template that he seems to have followed throughout the rest of his career. Also like others in his filmography such as The Last Circus and Witching and Bitching, this one starts out really well but loses a bit of steam in the final third. It's set in the future, where a terrorist group called Accion Mutante take violent action against rich hipsters and the superficially beautiful; their latest scheme sees them kidnap a society girl resulting in them being pursued to another planet by her mogul father who is bent on serious revenge.

This one has a pretty modest budget so it has to be cut some slack. Nevertheless, it makes good use of its resources at times. In particular an early high society party scene was nicely done; it was colourful and garish in a way that showed the definite influence of Pedro Almodovar who actually was a producer here. This scene along with the earlier more directly satirical ones that showed news reports on the terrorists activities were the most successful and focused parts of the film. After this opening things become more run-of-the-mill and the black comedy becomes less pointed. Ultimately, Accion Mutante is one of those movies which probably isn't as good as you think it's going to be given the potential of the central idea. It's still fun though. Of additional note is an amusing rap-rock theme song that plays in the credits.

MUTANT ACTION is a perfectly weird-on-purpose satire, cloaked in a sci-fi veneer. The group of alien terrorists of the title go on a rampage of carnage and destruction, in their quest to send a message to The Beautiful People. After abducting the daughter of an ultra-rich food magnate, the group finds that they have a murderous traitor among them.

Director Alex de la Iglesia's debut feature is a total blast from start to finish. The Mutants are an ecclectic bunch of oddball characters with assorted disabilities, with a megalomaniacal boss (Antonio Resines) calling all the shots. As the movie unfolds, we're taken from Earth into space, and onto another planet. A lot of the madness is reminiscent of Terry Gilliam or early Aussie films in this subgenre.

A highly entertaining romp with a terrific finale... ...

I'm a real admirer of Alex de la Iglesia's superb supernatural comedy thriller 'The Day Of The Beast', so I was really looking forward to watching 'Accion Mutante', his previous movie. It started off superbly as a exciting, violent and witty black comedy about a gang of (mostly deformed) mutant terrorists intent on destroying "the beautiful people" and their mediocre, hypocritical society. They kidnap the daughter of a bourgeois business and hold her for ransom.

Fantastic! All was going great, the balance between satire, action and silliness was handled imaginatively, but half way through the movie changes direction, and becomes increasingly less interesting. The planet where Mutant Action land to make their exchange is populated by a family of grotesques similar to one's in Philip Brophy's equally bizarre 'Body Melt', or like some of the stranger characters seen in the comics of Garth Ennis. Unfortunately for me the movie loses focus at this point, all the earlier potential for surreal social criticism is abandoned, and it becomes a standard b-grade sci fi action flick with only a few good bits.

It's a shame to me that the movie didn't continue in the approach of its first half, because I think if it did it would be a classic piece of science fiction. As it is, with all its flaws, it's still better than 90% of American SF movies made in the last 15 years, and recommended viewing. Please track down 'The Day Of The Beast' though, it's sensational!

Like the title says, this movie is an action flick about, well, mutants. Mutants who are terrorists trying to blow up the "beautiful people" of the world. I suspect, having read other viewer comments, (after being appalled by spelling and grammar), that this film will appeal to a very small, select audience. Personally, I laughed so hard, my face actually hurt. Rarely have I seen a more entertaining, goofy, hilarious, science fiction/thriller, and complete romp of a film.

"Accion Mutante" is certainly over-the-top, and it plays fast and loose with plot development, but that's part of its charm. If you're looking for a "serious" action movie, or one with some kind of point (i.e. only handsome, muscle-ridden Americans with cool sunglasses can save the world), then this is not the movie for you. But if you have an outrageous, wacky sense of humour, and you enjoy gonzo SF movies with lots of ridiculous gore and totally unrealistic violence, that leave no holds barred, then take a look at "Accion Mutante"--you'll probably love it.

For aficionados of films with the sensibility of "Freaked", "Eating Raoul", "Big Trouble in Little China", the pacing of "Aliens", and a similar amount of violence to "Fight Club". Not a subtle film, but definitely an entertaining one. And when was the last time you were actually entertained at the movies?