Broken Saints

This series whispers quietly in the back of your head long after you finish watching it. The series is beautiful and deeply thought provoking. It just might change the way you see the world forever.

Seriously, it's that deep. I would advise those who watch the series to appreciate the slow pace of the series. There's much that is said through inferences, shadowy speech, and innumerable symbols so the slow pace allows you to study each word and facial expression carefully.

If you go beneath the surface and scratch at the truth behind the story, it really could change you. Like the opening menus on the DVDs say, "What would you give to know the truth?"

Quintessentially brilliant. Broken Saints is a profoundly thought provoking work of art, a rarity in recent times, yet this more than compensates for the lack of intellectually challenging, mind moulding and deep philosophical moments in the medium world of film. Utterly encapsulating.

Merging styles from varying art forms, notably Japanese anime and fusing it with a free-flowing comic book/graphic novel style it is utterly unique. Not all may appreciate its subtle movements and intense patient build up, in fact some may find it devastatingly annoying, but then, these are the people that would be missing out. Yet it's format is the least of things that make this series so undeniably fascinating.

The plot and storyline drive this series, for in a ten hour plus epic, whereby there isn't an overly active presence on the screen, the narrative is paramount, and it certainly is. Building slowly over the first handful of episodes (disc 1 for those with the DVD set) we are introduced to our Saints, as slowly their plight is introduced to us. I think most people developed a natural affinity with Raimi, straight off the bat, yet as each characters story develops we ingratiate ourselves with them in ways that at first seemed implausible, and this is the brilliance of the series. It challenges us in ways we never thought possible. It tackles misconceptions, stereotypes and ignorant views, it liberates your mind in a manner of The Matrixs first installment to the nth degree, and I always enjoy and wait with anticipation to see what quotational gem appears at the beginning and end of each episode, really driving home its philosophical impact and connotations.

There's so much to go into with this series, but be patient with it. Once it gets going it truly is impossible to stop selecting "next episode", you must put your judgemental attitude to one side not only when it comes to content, but to style as well. For those that do, it's just what you've been waiting for. I would wish to say "I hope you enjoy it", but that would be detrimental to a series which is impossible not to get sucked into. Watch with the Lights Out, Your Jaw Locked And Prepare To Know The Truth.

It's a funny thing that in this day and age of internet society through which it was able to take root and grow, the first I ever heard of "Broken Saints" was by old fashioned window shopping. This alone, I think, means that I have missed out on a gigantic part of what made the series so enticing to many; not only that it was completely free but that it stood as a testament to the Internet's fulfilled promise of a global community and prosperous mass medium for independent artists. This was not the first internet series I have purchased on DVD; Rooster Teeth's "Red vs. Blue", an online Machinema production created by independent Texan film-makers, remains one of the most delightful discoveries of my life. However, "Broken Saints" is the first independent internet project I have bought entirely on spec, and this goes towards proving that there is more to the series' appeal than its initial medium.

Brooke Burgess' flash creation is one of the most unique works of art I have ever encountered. Consisting of 24 episodes of increasing length (beginning at 10 minutes and eventually running for over an hour), the series uses a fusion of comic narration, flash animation, music and, in the case of the remastered DVD version, voice acting to propel its story, the premise for which is inherently twisted. As the slow reveal is a major part of the series' deep intrigue, I will try to reveal nothing further than might be read in a blurb: On the unsuspecting cusp of a new technological age, four complete and diverse strangers begin to simultaneously receive violent spiritual turbulences; seizures, visions, crises of faith, inexplicable emotions. Strange, disturbing events in each of their lives drive them desperate for answers, and the harder they search for absolution, the closer they come to each other and the higher the stakes climb.

Now what I am about to say is something that really confused me at first: as a story, I didn't like "Broken Saints" all that much. It uses a very David Lynch style kind of linear narration (borderline nonsensical), and although all the vague poetry and metaphors are probably all made clear in the end, this happens in an overly preachy and bombastic sort of way. As a fierce atheist, I actually quite like bold agnosticism in a film, which is probably why I cared enough for the plot to see it through to the end (uncertainty of a higher being is held brilliantly throughout most of the series). But by the end I couldn't help but feel that the collective twelve hours I had spent watching the series had been a ploy to impose some kind of Faith on me. Hey, maybe I'm just interpreting the whole thing in a defensive way.

But what drove me to nonetheless give this series full marks and resolve to watch the whole thing again is really a deep respect for the creators: Brooke Burgess, Andrew West and Ian Kirby. These guys may hold a slightly different opinion to me on a spiritual level (I happened to agree with their politics, though), but they sure know how to argue their point. The sensory impact of "Broken Saints" is quite remarkable; the artwork and music cues (by Tobias Tinker, check him out on Myspace) are some of the most haunting and beautiful I have seen. The genius of this is that it keeps you interested long enough for other things to grab hold; empathy for the characters, intrigue into story development, and all that.

This is why, eventually, you never really hold much against a series like this. "Broken Saints" is a pretty broad web of appeal; if it loses your interest in one regard, it will catch it somewhere else. You don't like the alien culture of Shandala's Fijian islands and Oran's Saudi Arabian deserts then maybe Raimi's dark, post-modern America and filthy mouth will make you feel more at home. You don't like the preachy, new age gospel of the believers, then maybe you'll buy the more understated search for purpose; not necessarily God, just purpose. You don't like the politics, then just enjoy the art. You don't love the art, then respect the history of the project. In the end, whether you've been converted to a higher perception of life or just entertained for a few empty nights, the closing credits of "Broken Saints" will see you, however subconsciously, respecting one of the most finely argued contentions of artistic creation the world has ever seen. Word is Bond ;).

it made every word sound like it meant something and you understood it. one of the most amazing arts iv ever seen and i think that every person on the planet should see the future of what this is. as i was doing my best not to get distracted when i watched it its not that hard to take every thing as you do because you want to no whats going and you don't wont to miss a frame. i think that it gives a big twist on life and will make you think differently on every thing. when you watch it you will have your own theory but you also agree with every one els's. the art work is amazing and how the hole thing is set out they've done thing that have never been done before. in my case I'm so glad that it wasn't band because i could see on haw it could be.

If you like mystery, sci-fi and horror, you should take a look on "Broken saints" a unique and surreal animated series, being thrilling and emotional at the same time. After I saw the fist episode, I was captivated by the style used by Brooke Burgess: the music,the voices, the atmosphere, the use of colors, everything on "Broken Saints" fits very well with the dark tone of the series. The animation style is quite interesting:Like a comic, characters on the most part remain in static poses and dialogue is indicated by speech balloons. However, rather than exclusively using sequential panels, animated sequences are used to switch scenes and help advance the story, while some music and sound effects are included, lending a more cinematic experience than one would ordinarily achieve with a comic strip alone. And the result of all of this is "Broken Saints", a series that deserves more appreciation that it actually receives.I recommend this tittle to every animation fan.