Vexille

Madman Entertainment

October 2008 Release

R4 DVD

Vexille is set in 2077, a time when biotechnology has developed to a dangerous new level. Not only can androids be made that are human like in appearance but human and robotic hybrids are now being developed. Moreover, these hybrids are being developed by giant corporations with little to no governmental control.

Citing a variety of concerns, the now greatly expanded and supposedly empowered United Nations has declared all research into human and robot hybrids illegal. Japan, under strong corporate pressure from Daiwa Heavy Industries and believing that such research is a great way forward in terms of economic and military strength refuses to implement the UN directive. Moreover, Japan withdraws from international treaties and deploys an electromagnetic shield which locks out all international communication except through official channels. No one goes in or out of Japan except for the shipments of legal robots they supply the world’s trade and military.

This new isolationism allows Daiwa to essentially take over the country and implement its own vision of the future. Some ten years after Japan’s isolation, more and more evidence is surfacing suggesting that not only has Daiwa continued researching in this field but has perfected a new form of human/machine android.

To verify the true nature of Daiwa’s research SWORD, a US special forces team is despatched. Sadly, their mission goes horribly wrong, leaving team member Vexille alone trying to ascertain what has occurred. Japan has been decimated, the countryside is now a wasteland except for Tokyo and the Daiwa base in the surrounding ocean. It seems that Daiwa used a bio-virus to transform all of Japan’s population and slowly they are mutating into machines.

Teaming up with a underground resistance group, Vexille plans to right the wrongs Daiwa has brought the Japanese people.

This is a strange and disturbing film, the visual style is breathtaking. The animation techniques used are the very latest displaying astounding levels of innovation. The motion capture methods used to create the characters is vastly superior to anything seen before. The whole look of the film is a sort of Manga take on Blade Runner mixed with giant robotic Jags which are like mechanized Sandworms ala a 2008 take on Dune !

At the same time this is not just about looks and appearances. Vexille offers a dark eye on the future, considering the possible future if genetic science and technology decided to work together controlled by multinational corporations. There are all sorts of interesting ideas here regarding genetic engineering, robots, the resurgence of Japanese nationalism and the powerlessness of the United Nations.

I especially like the key motif that people are slowly becoming more and more robotic until, finally, “their souls blink out” and nothing is left but a machine slave to a giant corporation. Perhaps the biovirus has a certainly allegorical meaning beyond the obvious.

Vexille is a real surprise, packed with interesting ideas, sporting a great plot, superb animation and an awesome soundtrack including hits by Paul Oakenfold and M.I.A.