geek JANE

Release Date: September 9, 2009
Starring: Voices of: Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reily, Christopher Plummer
Rated PG-13 And basically if I had kid’s under 12 I wouldn’t take them to see it Just sayin.
Director: Shane Acker Writer: Pamela Pettler Produce by Tim Burton

*warning some spoilers below*

I admit to having really high hopes for this movie seeing as how not only did the trailers look stunning but with such a great cast and any affiliation with Tim Burton, how could it go wrong, right? Wrong. I don’t know honestly how this movie got made other than the fact that it is visually amazing. The storyline revolves around the typical end of the world by machine (AI) vs. Man scenario that has been done a hundred times. We create our own demise in the machines meant to further our own supposed foolishness. Some stylized (but obviously reference to Nazi Germany) villain takes a “good” idea of using AI to further mankind and uses it for war which starts the end of human life. Magically one scientist (the one who started the whole mess) is the last man alive and he creates 9 beings if you could call them that. The movie follows their misguided adventures in stopping the machines that are still around menacing anything living.

The problem with this movie is simple, bad writing. The plot or screenplay means well  (I think for the most part) in trying to be somewhat of a touching story of the survival of life in the end of the world. Or at least I think that’s what its supposed to mean. Honestly it kind of goes everywhere with the moral of the story so much so that it looses track of actually making the characters meaningful and worth caring about. The opening sequences with the dead human corpses (especially the particularly disturbing image of a dead mother and child in an abandoned car) were way too dark and completely not suited for kids. Sure a PG-13 rating would typically ensure that but after reading some of the other reviews I have seen on some of my favorite movie sites I am really surprised at the people who would actually take their kids to see this film.

The action sequences were really the whole film and very little else made up the bulk of it. Not much was really explained, even in the end as to why and how these beings were actually supposed to keep life going for a vastly dead world. Much of the main climaxing sequences were slightly ridiculous and I found myself getting frustrated with the silliness of it all. The characters were usually killed off before any sympathy or regard could be given them and some of their “unusual” habits were a bit disturbing even to me. (i.e. the “pleasure” scene with 8 and his magnet was just freaking weird) Overall I don’t really see who the writer and director thought their audience would be. The movie is too adult for kids and to childishly ridiculous for adults..

In the end of the film still not much is explained and soul releasing scene was strange and somewhat unnecessary. I mean, rain on creatures made of wood and metal seems a bit ill advised even if it is to create life again on earth. Rust and rot would most likely be a pressing issue there. So many things in this film really irked me that I wish I hadn’t wasted my money on expensive movie tickets and had waited to rent it.

Bottom Line: NOT WORTH SEEING IN THEATERS OR EVEN RENTING REALLY