Babylon A D
is a 2008 science fiction thriller film based on the novel Babylon Babies by Maurice Georges Dantec. The film was directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and stars Vin Diesel, Mélanie Thierry, Michelle Yeoh and Lambert Wilson.
It was released on August 29, 2008 in the United States.
Cast
Vin Diesel as Hugo Cornelius Toorop, a mercenary
Mélanie Thierry as Aurora, a young woman who has been genetically altered
Michelle Yeoh as Sister Rebecca, an elder Mongolian Noelite(female refuge) nun
Lambert Wilson as Dr. Arthur Darquandier, Aurora's father thought to be dead
Mark Strong as Finn
Gerard Depardieu as Gorsky, the man who hired Toorop to transport Aurora
Charlotte Rampling as the Noelite High Priestess and CEO of the Noelite church, who paid for Aurora to be created and therefore sees herself as her mother
David Gasman as Noelite Researcher
Plot
A few decades in the future, a mercenary named Toorop (Vin Diesel) accepts a contract from a Russian mobster, Gorsky, who instructs him to bring a young woman only known as Aurora (Mélanie Thierry) to New York.
In order to reach his goal, Gorsky gave Toorop a variety of weapons as well as a UN passport that has to be injected under the skin of the neck. Toorop, along with the girl and her guardian nun Sister Rebeka (Michelle Yeoh), travel from the Noelite Convent where they lived across Russia to reach America.
The towns and cities of Russia have been turned into dangerous, over populated slums by war and terrorist activity, forcing Toorop, Aurora, and Rebeka to face dangers of the human element, all the while fleeing from an unknown group of mercenaries claiming to have been sent by Aurora's supposedly dead father.
The stress of humanity's situation causes Aurora to act out in strange ways that neither Toorop, nor Rebeka can explain. On one such occasion, Aurora seemed, for no reason, to panic and run from a crowded train station, just before it was bombed.
Later, they were forced to board a submarine that carried refugees to Canada.
There were too many refugees to take at once, so the submarine was forced to leave some behind, even if it came to shooting them. Gorsky, working for the Noelites, had planted a tracking device in Toorop's passport, and then bombed the convent when he knew they were in America.
The doctor who earlier saw Aurora in the convent then appears to examine her again. When he leaves, Aurora reveals (again without being told) that she is pregnant with twins, even though she was a virgin.
Looking outside, Toorop saw both Gorsky's men, as well as the Noelite group, heavily armed and waiting for them.
Rebeka gets shot and killed defending Aurora, who in turn shoots Toorop saying the words "I need you to live." By dying, the rocket goes off target and hits Aurora instead.
Toorop's body was revived by Dr. He remained 'dead' until he found his daughter in Russia with Toorop.
Doctor Darquandier then instructed Toorop to find Aurora before the Noelites could, which he does.
Aurora dies giving birth to two children of two different colors, whom Toorop raises as his own.
Production
Mathieu Kassovitz developed an English-language film adaptation of Maurice Georges Dantec's French novel Babylon Babies for five years; in June 2005, this project got financed from StudioCanal and Twentieth Century Fox. The adapted screenplay was written by Kassovitz and screenwriter Éric Besnard. in time for the coming Thanksgiving. In February, filming took place at Barrandov Studios. In March 2007, the filming crew, having shot in the Czech Republic, took a two-week hiatus to deal with uncooperative weather, such as the lack of snow, and problems with set construction.
A lack of snow meant a skiing sequence to be shot in Eastern Europe had to be moved to Sweden. Later in the month, actor Lambert Wilson was cast into the film. Filming was completed in May 2007.
American artist Khem Caigan designed the sigil that appears as a tattoo on the right side of Toorop's neck - an emblem which originally appeared in the Schlangekraft Necronomicon in 1977.
The music of Babylon A.D. The musical alliance Achozen, represented by Shavo Odadjian and RZA performed the score for the film.
was originally slated to be released in the United States on February 29, 2008, but its release was postponed to August 29, 2008.
Reception
Director Mathieu Kassovitz was very unhappy with the distributors, 20th Century Fox, producers and other partners. He described the film as "pure violence and stupidity" and stated that "parts of the movie are like a bad episode of 24."
The film was universally panned by critics.
Metacritic compiles a 26% rating based on 15 reviews.
As of October 19, 2008, the film grossed $22,442,781 in the United States and $33,900,724 in foreign countries totaling a worldwide gross of $56,343,505. The film was placed #2 behind Tropic Thunder with $9,484,267 in 3,390 theaters with a $2,798 average. The film has the eighth-highest 4-day Labor Day gross since 1982.
.