Ultraviolet

After having been given repeated warnings about how bad this film is, I went ahead and watched a borrowed copy. About thirty minutes into the film I had reached a decision: I was enjoying it. While certainly not Oscar-winning material, most people apparently were expecting some kind of cinematic masterpiece rather than what they got, an over-the-top comic book-like action set piece with a modicum of plot to tie together the action sequences.

The gunkata sequences, closer to Wimmer's original idea of the form, do not approach the stark and yet orgiastic death-art of Equilibrium, but they're fun all the same. The movie is full of neat, if improbable, gadgetry, from gravity manipulators to disposable paper cell phones. Nick Chinlund chews a satisfactory amount of scenery without stuffing himself down the viewer's throat. Milla Jovovich herself manages to use a two-dimensional role to display probably the most range I've ever seen her give outside of "The Messenger", and she was certainly much more attractive in this movie than in any of the others I've ever watched her in. All these things contribute to what amounted to a popcorn bowl of a film: not something you'd eat for every meal, but a nice snack for a change of pace when you don't want something too substantial.

The problem seems to be that most people can't just shut off their brains and enjoy a romp once in a while. Would this film ever seriously contend for Best Anything? No. But it certainly does not deserve the almost universal slagging it has gotten since its release. Ignore what you've heard, don't expect too much, and you might just find yourself being entertained for an hour and a half.

Personally, I love Milla. Even in this, she's still Milla. She's hot, she's fit and she handles the 'tough' role well. I hold the director responsible for bringing it all together. Personally, I didn't 'dislike' this movie. It reminds me of Doom. With the right budget, the right director and time, it could have been the best film of the year. Otherwise, it will leave you feeling like something's been left out. What I liked was the fact I went for a cheesy, mass-action, campy, comic-book/video game movie. I expected fighting, explosions, gratuitous scenes with some nudity and a minimal plot. No, this isn't plot intensive like Silent Hill. (Again, an underlying feature that could have been better handled). So, if you're like me, and you enjoy seeing Milla do her thang, faceless soldiers being under mass slaughter and needless, gratuitous violence, then this is the film for you. Of course, I look for this type of movie only once per year. Just as a break from everything else. The quota has been filled!

Kurt Wimmer who wrote and directed Equilibrium, which imho is a great movie, failed miserably to repeat his former success. The idea's behind the movie had visible potential but unfortunately the execution was extremely poor. Bad acting, a confusing and altogether nonsensical story line, and most of all bad writing really killed this one for me. This movie seemed more like a commercial for CGI than anything else. The CGI however was excellent (except for the last scene, I guess they ran out of money)and probably the most interesting part of the movie. The action which is why I saw the movie suffered from repetition: from the characters, to the setups (Violet is being attacked when she is out-numbered), to the moves, unnecessary sword fighting when they have guns with bullets, unnecessarily repetitive situations (big circle everyone attacks at once and violet wins with ease no challenging battle), and a lack of depth. Kurt really missed the mark, better luck next time.

Having watched the regular release version I was somewhat confused as to what was going on, though I was able to surmise the base elements of the plot, but when I saw the uncut version with the scenes left in, things made a lot more sense.

The plot seems a bit obscure at first; unless you're sharp, you're not going to be able to follow it. That is all I will say about that.

It's true the acting wasn't magnificent but I really don't know what everyone is complaining about. Plenty of action, yes, and Milla Jovovich looks great. I thought it was a pretty good watch myself, and I am in the minority there. I definitely don't think it's a waste of time, though it is a bit dark. It's now in my DVD collection, in fact.

Rent it, watch the uncut version. Though not my favourite movie of all time, I enjoyed it.

Ultraviolet was embarrassingly terrible on so many levels. My husband and I usually really dig the comic book and action movies, so I think that our expectations were reasonable for the genre. The kinds of movies that Ultraviolet tried to channel were X-Men, The Matrix and Underworld. Unfortunately, this movie failed to do so.

1) Dialogue was laughably bad. One of Milla's lines was actually "Because these beautiful moments turn evil when they're over." What?? This was regarding a romantic pass made at her. Totally incongruous with the setting. 2) Excessive use of CGI is a personal irritant. Additionally, the motorcycle chase scenes were only one step above TRON. I might as well have been watching my 11 year old neighbors play some video game. 3) Zero character development. I didn't care about Violet, the french guy, the scientist guy, the pretty boy, or the evil nose filter guy. I didn't care about their individual goals (mainly because they weren't very clear). I didn't care about characters dying, and I didn't care about the revelation at the end; the only indicator that I had that it was important was her somewhat awed reaction.

To be fair, Milla Jovovich has an incredible face and body and is well-suited for fight scenes. If all-CGI, all-the-time is your thing, then you'll be thrilled with the loads of glossed-over fight scenes involving Milla and hordes of green screen baddies. If you're like our entire theater, you're bored. Really, fake fights just don't impress me.