If I weren't writing a review of Renaissance right now, I probably wouldn't remember it tomorrow. I realize that a lot of care went into the animation (or is it rotoscoping?) of this movie that blends film-noir and sci-fi into a slick story about a company in the future that can provide ageless beauty, and the one guy around played by Daniel Craig who thinks something is not right. Then there's a kidnapping, twisted doings in the underworld, befuddled if good-intentioned cops, and other things like genetic research, car chases, fights, and so on. I'm not sure what it is that makes the movie so forgettable as it should be up my alley (that is, re: Philip K. Dick fan, it's that kind of material if two or three times removed by generations). And I also like this rotoscope style animation... that is when it's done right. When watching it it's like there is rarely any space for another hue in the animation. Black and white could be fine, but what about depth and texture? Most of the scenes are either in black-black or white-white, very few grays I could really spot, and while it would be effective for a short film stretched over a feature length narrative it becomes irksome.
Coupling that with a story that gets overwhelmed by its style, and some mostly bland voice-work (yes I'm looking at you Daniel Craig), and it becomes kind of dull. And it shouldn't be. It's like watching the slick cut-scenes from a new X-Box game or something. If that's your bag, then go for it. But the story itself is too weak to support the visuals.
Coupling that with a story that gets overwhelmed by its style, and some mostly bland voice-work (yes I'm looking at you Daniel Craig), and it becomes kind of dull. And it shouldn't be. It's like watching the slick cut-scenes from a new X-Box game or something. If that's your bag, then go for it. But the story itself is too weak to support the visuals.