Godkiller: Walk Among Us

Apparently "azayzel" has a hard time understanding the concept of a motion comic. Don't be fooled by a review from someone who obviously doesn't have any respect for the original comic that this animation is derived from. Godkiller is beautifully rendered and expertly directed by Brian Giberson in this straight-to-DVD motion comic from comic creator Matt Pizzolo.

Set in a post-apocalyptic future after an economic collapse and an alien invasion, Godkiller revolves around a young orphan named Tommy as he desperately searches for a replacement heart for his young comatose sister. As he leaves the only part of civilization that he knows in hopes of finding a suitable heart, Tommy joins forces with a group of outlaws that help him see past the illusions of his world and find a power within himself that he never thought possible.

Taking Anna Muckcracker's sequential art straight from the comic, adding motion graphics, 3D CGI, sound effects and a well selected cast of voice actors, this movie takes Pizzolo's vision and gives it an entirely new dimension.

Pizzolo originally considered an anime-type adaptation to his comic book, but decided against it in favor of a motion comic animation that would do justice to Anna Muckcracker's wonderfully detailed illustrations. Staying true to the original style and feel of the comic book, Godkiller: Walk Among Us is a great addition to Pizzolo's work. Bursting with loads of visual appeal and the addition of an experienced cast of voice actors, Pizzolo's motion comic will draw you in to it's grimy, surreal wasteland and leave you wanting more. This, my friends, is how the comic should be experienced.

"Godkiller" has a number of interesting elements and a great list of voice talent. The post-apocalyptic setting is dark, perverse, erotic, and violent. The character's have personalities as bent as their surroundings. Muckcracker's artistic style suits the story.

But, this was almost a movie. Instead what we have is a narrated storyboard. It's an excellent storyboard, but...it's a storyboard. I can only guess that one of two things happened: budget restrictions prevented this from becoming an actual animated feature, or laziness. Or both. This can't be considered a finished work, by any means, which the film itself firmly reminds you of at the end with a "TO BE CONTINUED".

Now, I believe "Godkiller" would make an extraordinary animated feature, and the narrated storyboard test that was produced proves that.

I can really only recommend this film to producers, in the hopes that they'll see the amazing potential of what this film could become and start throwing money at a studio of animators to finish it.

If you're not familiar with Pizzolo or Muckcracker, this might be a good introduction to their world but you'll probably be a lot happier if you just go out and buy the graphic novels.

Never really liked motion-comics. In fact, never really liked comics at all. Never felt as a part of a comic culture - which is not surprising for ex-USSR country. Watched a few, read a few, even find some interesting, but most of them - shallow and plain. Allway preferred books. With no pictures to worsen the impression.

OK, Godkiller it is. On a first glance- it looks ugly. Even more - it's intentionally ugly, the drawings a raw, grubby and sloppy. Before you will get a chance to dive into the plot and setting, you'll have to force it through. It may seem hard, but in just a few minutes it won't be matter for you anymore. Such is a power of a storytelling. Good, very good voice acting, setting twisted and full of dark mysteries, and not least - brutality and perversion which can turn you into a shock (if you are not prepared for that kinda stuff). For me personally, the setting was the main hook. It sucked me in, leaving desperately wandering about the gears that makes that twisted world spin. The plot did not put much of a surprise and innovation. Pretty standard overcharged comic-action, that you can meet almost on every tome. Some killings and tortures of main characters may seam a little unusual, but just a little. Despite that plot just as good as it need to be - murky and twisted. A pity that it doesn't end on any significant spot - |to be continued" just cut it almost in the middle of the scene.

Again, despite that, Godkiller is a good, strong stuff, which has it all - suspense, tension, roughness and cruelty. It is not so watcher-friendly as many of us used to, but it just makes it better.

A young man hopes to save his sister, who is desperately in need of a heart. However, he lives in a dystopian future where everything has gone to heck, and he is a prisoner to a doctor that cares nothing for him or his plight.

Writer and director Matt Pizzolo has a new vision here, and if you are on board with him, you might like it. If you enter into "Godkiller" expecting a cartoon, you will be greatly disappointed. This is an "illustrated film", which relies very little on moving pictures at all. But as long as you accept that up front, you should enjoy the outcome.

Pizzolo attracted some great names to do voices: Tiffany Shepis, Danielle Harris, Lance Henriksen, Bill Moseley, and Davey Havok, among others. If the target audience is horror fans, then they could not ask for a better cast. (The audience need not be horror fans, but you will find that the themes work well for horror.)

The film works as a sort of visual radio play. In fact, if you closed your eyes, you could almost follow along just as easily. The voices are a bit over-dramatic and they explain what is going on more than the visuals do. But since a comic book already exists, why merely release an audiobook? This version works well, because it fills in our imagination's gaps and every so often throws in some animated treats.

Halo 8 Entertainment continues to be on the cutting edge of new, innovative ways to present media. This film is no exception. And, it paved the way for an even more popular comic to be adapted by Pizzolo: Tim Seeley's "Hack / Slash". If "Godkiller" is any indication of this medium's potential, future projects should be a win. But first, be sure to catch this one.