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The Films of Kurt Wimmer

One Tough Bastard

Equilibrium

Ultraviolet (January 15/10)

Woefully nonsensical from start to finish, Ultraviolet follows futuristic warrior Violet (Milla Jovovich) as she endeavors to save her species from total annihilation by rescuing a boy (Cameron Bright's Six) whose blood may or may not hold the key to salvation. Filmmaker Kurt Wimmer has infused Ultraviolet with an almost unreasonably artificial visual sensibility that holds the viewer at arm's length virtually from the word go, with the pervasively slick vibe exacerbated by an astounding lack of context that grows increasingly problematic as the wafer-thin storyline progresses. Wimmer's reluctance (or inability) to satisfactorily establish and explain the film's technologically-advanced landscape and its various rules (ie the laws of gravity no longer seem to apply) results in a hopelessly cartoonish atmosphere that would seem over-the-top even within a video game, and it's consequently not surprising to note that the surprisingly talented cast - which, in addition to Jovovich, includes Nick Chinlund, Cameron Bright, and William Fichtner - is left with little to do other than pose menacingly and spout comically aggressive chunks of dialogue ("killing is what I do. It's what I'm good at. I am a titan. A monolith. Nothing can stop me.") Even the movie's myriad of fight scenes prove unable to arouse any interest within the viewer, as Wimmer's relentlessly synthetic modus operandi drains such moments of their impact and ultimately prevents one from working up any real enthusiasm for the climactic battle (which, as expected, couldn't possibly be less enthralling). And although the film was reportedly the victim of studio interference during post-production, Ultraviolet simply does not seem as though it would've been improved by the inclusion of more backstory or exposition (ie there's just something inherently flawed within both the premise and Wimmer's execution).

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© David Nusair