Babylon Ad
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.
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 known only as Aurora (Mélanie Thierry) to New York City. In order to reach this goal, Gorsky gives 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 in Mongolia across Russia to reach New York City in the United States.
The towns and cities of Russia have been turned into dangerous, overpopulated 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.
There are too many refugees to take at once, so the submarine is forced to leave some behind, even if it came to shooting them. Aurora, infuriated by the loss of life, suddenly knows how to operate the 30-year-old submarine, without having ever learned about it.
Sister Rebeka explains to Toorop that Aurora could speak nineteen different languages by the age of three, and always seems to know things she has never learned.
Three months before leaving with Toorop, she has begun acting in ways she never had before. However, in private meetings, it is seen that their High Priestess is really just after power, and tries to use various invented miracles to get more people to believe in the truth of her religion.
The doctor who earlier saw Aurora in the convent then appears to examine her again. Rebeka is 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 appears to hit Aurora instead.
In fact, Aurora survives the rocket explosion by uncertain means (possibly telekinetic powers).
Toorop's body is revived by Dr. Arthur Darquandier, using advanced medical techniques, but Toorop's right arm and left leg are replaced with cybernetics to undo the damage of Toorop being dead for over two hours.
Toorop is left to take care of her two children, who are noticeably of different races.
Cast
Vin Diesel as Toorop, a mercenary (full name is "Hugo Cornelius Toorop" in Babylon Babies novel)
Mélanie Thierry as Aurora, a young woman who has been genetically engineered
Michelle Yeoh as Sister Rebeka, a Mongolian Noelite nun and refugee
Lambert Wilson as Dr. Shes pays scientists to produce fake miracles in order to make hers the dominant religion, one of these miracles was for Aurora to be created as a vehicle for a virgin birth and the focus of the Noelite's 'miracle day'.
David Gasman as Noelite Researcher
Production
Preparing for the filming in Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic
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.
Production was initially slated to begin in February 2006 in Canada and Eastern Europe. French actor Vincent Cassel was initially sought to be cast in the lead role. In February 2006, actor Vin Diesel entered negotiations to star in the film, titled Babylon A.D., dropping out of the lead role of Hitman in the process. Production of the futuristic thriller about genetic manipulation was slated to begin in June 2006. By February 2007, filming was slated to wrap in April to release Babylon A.D. 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.
was originally slated to be released in the United States on February 29, 2008, but its release was postponed to August 29, 2008.. As of January 31, 2009, the film grossed $22,532,572 in the United States and $49,055,674 in foreign countries totaling a worldwide gross of $71,588,246. 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. Despite over $71 million being made from its box office gross, the film is considered a failure considering its production budget ($70 million).
Reception
The film was universally panned by critics.
As of January 31, 2009, Rotten Tomatoes records a 7% rating ("rotten") based on 87 reviews, with the consensus being: "A poorly constructed, derivative sci-fi stinker with a weak script and poor action sequences." Metacritic compiles a 26% rating based on 15 reviews.
Blu-ray and DVD
Babylon A.D. The single disc included no features but contained the theatrical version and (on the reverse side) the unrated version.
It also included four behind-the-scenes featurettes, a digital graphic novel prequel to the film, a still gallery, and a digital copy. http:www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=features2006&content=jump&jump=story&head=berlin&nav=Nberlin&articleid=VR1117937639&cs=1.
http:www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/international/features/e3i7bd8c0c023888c2f598deb1cb8194586?imw=Y. http:www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2008&wknd=35&p=.htm.