Written by Maria Dizazzo
Mortal Engines stuns with visually breathtaking cinematography and impressive CGI moments. Conceptually strong and speedily paced, this action-packed steampunk fantasy was built for the big screen. However, despite the grandiose imagery and persistence to remain as loud as possible, the execution of the plot is where this film falls short.
Adapted from Phillip Reeves iconic novel, Mortal Engines is set over two thousand years from now in a post-apocalyptic world of moving cities. One of those tractions is London, a city built upon remnants of the English capitals architectural structures. Think Tottenham Station and St Paul’s Cathedral all on its own mobile engine driving on a landscape with a whole lot of Mad Max vibes.
London is home to Tom Natsworthy, a young and passionate historian, played by the adorable Robert Sheehan. Tom’s character is laced in a veil of innocence, which is certainly a far cry from Sheehan’s earlier acting role in Misfits. In a chance encounter, Tom meets the enigmatic Hester Shaw as she finds herself forced aboard London with a number of captives. Hester, played by Icelandic actress Hera Hilmar, has lived in The Outlands for all her life and carries an elusive past. What comes next is an epic tale of adventure throughout this Neo-Victorian extravaganza.
Mortal Engines stuns with visually breathtaking cinematography and impressive CGI moments. This is where the film truly shines. Conceptually strong and speedily paced, this action-packed steampunk fantasy was built for the big screen. However, despite the grandiose imagery and persistence to remain as loud as possible, the execution of the plot is where this film falls short.
Adapting an epic fantasy novel into 2 hours of screen time is awfully challenging – but in Mortal Engines you can truly feel the compression of the story. Information is hastily spoon fed, weakening the script to a very predictable narrative. Many subplots are introduced and consequently abandoned, leaving the viewer unable to naturally explore the story’s lore. Several interesting characters are proven to be otherwise forgettable as scenes chop and change. It is difficult to simply keep up with the pace of this film.
Anna Fang, played by Korean actress Jihae is a badass who deserves far more screen time than she’s offered. An anti-tractionist aviator who tears up the skies, with a hefty price on her arrest, her mystique stays true as there is almost too much left to the imagination. Thaddeus Valentine, played by Hugo Weaving and revealed unsurprisingly as the main antagonist, has such little character exploration that the viewer is left questioning if there were actual motives behind his monstrous actions.
While a film of this depth would have benefited by being broken up into a series, Mortal Engines is still a bold and visually dynamic watch. Make sure you catch this one in a cinema to truly enjoy the visuals on a large scale.
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