Immortal

Original title: Immortel (ad vitam)

20042004
RR
1h 43min

Animation Action Crime

In the distant future, Earth is occupied by ancient gods and genetically altered humans. When a god is sentenced to death he seeks a new human host and a woman to bear his child.In the distant future, Earth is occupied by ancient gods and genetically altered humans. When a god is sentenced to death he seeks a new human host and a woman to bear his child.In the distant future, Earth is occupied by ancient gods and genetically altered humans. When a god is sentenced to death he seeks a new human host and a woman to bear his child.

6.0/10

21K

Director
- Enki Bilal
Writers
- Enki Bilal(comic books "La Foire aux immortels" and "La Femme piège")
- Serge Lehman
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

Awards
- 3 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 2:19

Immortal

Frédéric Pierrot in Immortel (ad vitam) (2004)

Paul Bandey in Immortel (ad vitam) (2004)

Féodor Atkine in Immortel (ad vitam) (2004)

Thomas Kretschmann in Immortel (ad vitam) (2004)

Linda Hardy in Immortel (ad vitam) (2004)

In New York City, in late 21 century, genetically altered humans live side by side with unaltered men and women, and Central Park has been mysteriously encased in an "intrusion zone" where people who attempt to enter are instantly killed. A strange pyramid has appeared over the city; inside, the gods of ancient Egypt have judged Horus, one of their fellow gods, to cease his immortality. In the city below, Jill, a young woman with blue hair, is arrested. She is not completely human; her tissues appear to be no more than a few months old according to an examining physician, although her physical form is already that of an adult. She also possesses a number of secret powers, including one that enables her to procreate with gods, though she knows nothing of this. Horus is given a limited time to interact with the humans of New York and procreate. During his search for a host body, Horus encounters Nikopol, a rebel condemned to thirty years of hibernation who, due to a mechanical accident, escapes his prison one year early. Horus has been unsuccessful in attempting to take over the bodies of other humans; due to an incompatibility with the genetic alterations humans have undergone, the host bodies self-destruct while attempting to accommodate a god. Nikopol's body is acceptable as it has been frozen in prison/storage and not undergone the genetic changes causing the rejections. Horus takes partial control of Nikopol's body and starts looking for a woman he can mate with to provide him a son before his death sentence is carried out. When Horus/Nikopol discovers Jill, they become entangled in a web of murder and intrigue. —Vanhel Singh

future cgi death deity possession 61 more

Taglines
- The ancient gods have returned
Genres
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for sexuality/nudity, language and some violence
Parents guide

Trivia
Was one of several films around the world that were the first to use an entirely "digital backlot" (i.e. the actors were all shot in front of blue- and green-screens with all the backgrounds added in post-production, a technique which has been used for TV, video and video game production for many years). Fans debate on which movie was shot first, but the other movies include: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), Casshern (2004), and Sin City (2005).

Goofs
When Dr Turner is interviewing Jill for the first time, she glances at a digital readout of some of Jill's known vital statistics, which says that Jill's height is 4"8' (4 inches and 8 feet).

Quotes
Jill Bioskop: [Jill reciting in French the third stanza of Charles Baudelaire's poem "Le Poison," which she has just been reading from the book she holds entitled "Les Fleurs Du Mal" or Flowers of Evil] "Tout cela ne vaut pas le poison qui découle De tes yeux, de tes yeux verts, Lacs où mon âme tremble et se voit à l'envers... Mes songes viennent en foule Pour se désaltérer à ces gouffres amers." English translation: All that is not equal to the poison which flows from your eyes, from your green eyes, lakes where my soul trembles and sees its evil side. My dreams come in multitude to slake their thirst in those bitter gulfs.
Nikopol: [Nikopol, who recites Baudelaire's poetry in other scenes of the movie, finishes Jill's recitation in English] But all that is not worth the prodigy of your saliva, Jill, that bites my soul, and dizzies it, and swirls it down, remorselessly, rolling it, fainting to the underworld.

Connections
Featured in Troldspejlet: Episode #35.9 (2006)

Soundtracks
Beautiful Days
Written by Marc A. Huygens - Venus
Performed by Venus
By Kind Permission of Emi Music France and Emi Music Publishing France

Top review

9/10

Enjoyable all the way

This is a very stylish and artistic movie, but it doesn't forget to tell a story. It is all done in bleak and washed out colors. It is a poetic movie; while the genre is science fiction, the author obviously could not care less for real science fiction. It's just design material, just as the piece of Egyptian mythology. The story line is straight, and has a style that is a mix between french and Japanese comics. It has the deadly epic seriousness of anime, and the designwork is both kitsch and awesome at the same time, as is customary for the french metal hurlant style. And, most refreshing, there is not a hint of Hollywood in this. So, sit back and let it flow.

I give the movie nine out of ten, but I can't say I feel hungry for more. No, what I'd like to see on the screen is some real science fiction. Not Star Wars crap and not poetic artistry, but the real thing, a modern novel by the likes of Iain M. Banks or Greg Egan adapted for the screen. Sadly enough, sf for the movies is becoming something that is exploited for it's kitschy futuristic themes and it's design and action possibilities, rather than a way to express the true visions the bookshelves are actually overflowing with. But here's still hoping...

helpful•138