Centuries after the civilisation-ending 60-Minute War, survivors consolidate in city states, which they make mobile to search for resources like fuel to power their gigantic roving cities. London is the dominant force, led by the fearsome Thaddeus (Weaving). He's the target of young Hester (Hilmar), who saw him murder her mother (Pistorius). She gets a chance to attack him, but ends up in the wasteland with London historian Tom (Sheehan), and they team up with Anna (Kim) to thwart Thaddeus' plan to crush the Anti-Traction society. But tenacious killer robot Shrike (Lang) is chasing Hester.

The clanking cities and their floating shuttles are very cool, mixing Steampunk with sci-fi. Although everything reminds us of another movie: the rabble are straight from Mad Max, Shrike is the Terminator, and ultimately a rag-tag of rebel pilots take on the London Death Star. There's even a Bespin-like cloud city and a hero who looks like Legolas. Plus a big emotive moment that directly lifts one of the biggest twists in film history. Early on, when dialog is densely expository, this doesn't matter so much, but later it becomes distracting.

But the real problem is that the characters barely develop. Hilmar is fine as Hester, although everything we know about her comes from a few flashbacks. Sheehan brings jittery energy and likeable humour to Tom. And Kim's Anna is frankly awesome. But Weaving can't do much with his one-note villain, so it seems improbable that his bland daughter (George) had no idea he was such a fiendish monster.

There's so much going on that themes and subtext are lost in the shuffle. Frankly, it's difficult to work out whether this story has anything to say to us aside from the dangers of megalomania. It definitely would have helped to include a sense that Hester was trying to overcome her drive for vengeance, or that Tom was struggling with being put into a heroic situation. Anything, really. But at least the film looks spectacular, with seamless digital effects and a cast of physically adept performers.

themes, violence, language

5.Dec.18