There are certain films that are released that I really want to love sight unseen.  In a sea of sequels, remakes, rehashes, TV shows and utter garbage, when a filmmaker sets out to create something truly unique and original with a unique style, then this is something I am going to root for.  French director Christian Volckman’s ‘Renaissance’ is such a film telling it’s story using the motion captured rotoscoped technique for its characters in a style most recently scene in  Richard Linklater’s ‘A Scanner Darkly’ but making the entire color palette black and white to give the film a real noir feel.  The look of ‘Renaissance’ is a truly a technical marvel, the actual film itself is less so however, but that doesn’t lessen my admiration Volckman’s vision.

Futuristically set in Paris during the year 2054, the world looks similar to an animated version of Luc Besson’s ‘Fifth Element’ without the flying taxi cabs.  Mon Capitan Karas (voiced by Patrick Floreshiem – note, I’ve seen the French version and not the English language version) is your typical hard assed violent cop who’s out of control and doesn’t play by the rules.  When the omnipotent cosmetics corporation Avalon, run by the despotic Paul Dellenbach (Gabriel LeDoze) finds his top researcher has been kidnapped, the beautiful young Ilona Tsuriev (Virgine Mery), he has the police put their top man, Karas , on the job because, well, he doesn’t play the rules.  Complicating matters are Ilona’s equally beautiful sister Bislane (Laura Blanc) who desperately wants her sister found but seems to be holding something back.  Also, Dellenbach’s reasons for wanting his researcher back don’t seem to be too terribly altruistic.  Then there are these pesky assassins who have the ability to bend light to appear invisible and are killing off every potential lead.  Even Karas’ own police department is throwing up road blocks in his journey to the truth.  A truth, as it turns out, that can change the world forever.

Because the look of ‘Renaissance’ is so radically different, it takes some time to get used to because the lack of color creates an indistinction between characters and environment make everything seem to run together.  But once your brain adjusts to the images on the screen, that ceases to be a problem and you soon blessed with a visual treat.  The futuristic Paris is very well realized with ultra modern buildings, futuristic automobiles, touch screen holographic technology and human sense boosting implants, ala blade runner, littered throughout the landscape.  The black and white landscape does tend wash away elements of detail for a lot of the items, and since this film is literally animated in black and white, not shades of gray, shadows and gradations are absorbed into the palette.

The story itself in ‘Renaissance’ however is lackluster at best.  There didn’t seem to a lot of energy behind any of the characters or there actions, and even situations where there was tense action involved, the whole mood is best described as detached involvement.  It’s not that ‘Renaissance’ didn’t have action in it’s narrative as there are plenty of gunfights, car chases, and fist fights, it’s just that there was something missing in the translation from screen to viewer.  Then there is plot of ‘Renaissance’ which is entirely too convoluted and overreaching.  Mind you, I had just seen the Japanese apocalypse film ‘Casshern’ the night before so sifting through ‘Renaissance’ after seeing ‘Casshern’ is almost like reading Mother Goose.  But still the story left a lot to be desired with its stilted noir-esque dialog, botched red herring attempts and I also could have done without the preachy message we’re hit over the head with at the end.

But, despite the flaws of ‘Rennaisance’ of which there many, I still admire anyone who breaks off from the standardized norm and attempts to create an original vision from a fairly original concept.  I hope the Christian Volckman receives enough success from this film that he may be allowed to continue to create unique, edgy cinema, just hopefully with better results in the future.