Dante 01 (2008)

Deep space, at the edge of the galaxy. The future. A new prisoner arrives on top security prison ship and psychiatric research unit Dante 01. Sole survivor of an encounter with an alien ... See full summary »

Director:

Marc Caro

Writers:

Marc Caro (screenplay), Pierre Bordage (screenplay)

Stars:

Lambert Wilson, Linh Dan Pham, Dominique Pinon

Cast

Cast overview:
Lambert Wilson	...	Saint-Georges
Linh Dan Pham	...	Elisa (as Linh-Dan Pham)
Simona Maicanescu	...	Perséphone
Dominique Pinon	...	César
Bruno Lochet	...	Bouddha
François Levantal	...	Lazare
Gérald Laroche	...	Charon
François Hadji-Lazaro	...	Moloch
Lotfi Yahya Jedidi	...	Raspoutine (as Lotfi Yahya-Jedidi)
Yann Collette	...	Attila
Dominique Bettenfeld	...	BR
Antonin Maurel	...	CR

Storyline

Deep space, at the edge of the galaxy. The future. A new prisoner arrives on top security prison ship and psychiatric research unit Dante 01. Sole survivor of an encounter with an alien force beyond imagining, Saint Georges is a man possessed by inner demons, caught up in the battle to control the monstrous power within him. It's a power that will infect the other highly dangerous occupants of Dante 01, gaolors and prisoners alike, unleashing a violent rebellion that turns this terrifying, labyrinthine world upside down. In the otherworldly hell of the ship's depths, through danger and redemption, each must journey to his very limits... each must confront his own Dragon.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | trapped in space | terraforming | reference to saint george and the dragon | reference to rasputin | 

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Taglines:

Space is a Prison All of Its Own

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, some disturbing images, language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Wild Bunch [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

2 January 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Apostoli exontosis

Box Office

Budget:

EUR8,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$476,875

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eskwad, Wild Bunch, Sofica Cinemage

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Marc Caro had a different ending in mind but couldn't shoot it because the original budget of eight million Euros was cut back to four million by the producers.

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Connections

Referenced in Viande d'origine française (2009)

User Reviews

Uncomplete movie

Considering Caro's past work in the movie field, one can really look forward to see his latest film as director : Dante 01.

Well I have to say I was for one really eager to do so and as I watched the movie, even as a full open minded viewer, some scenes were feeling just ... incomplete. The thematic is quite fine, a deep space station used as a psychiatric facility is exiting knowing the visual taste of Caro and the cast is well done too, but in the end every way you look at it the movie never fully unfold his potential.

The story, as mysterious it can be, fail to be emotional or understandable at any level which is really disappointing considering you can't connect to any character at all - especially not with the main one - having a feeling of emptiness despite the solid material that could have been used in a much better way.

The budget isn't large for this movie, that's obvious and still the director pulled some extremely good shots and some solid acting while being uneven at times (considering the budget, I can only guess that some takes as to be done only a few times), still, beyond that there is nothing to properly think of. As said, the story was somewhat promising at the beginning ... and sadly looks still promising at the end, it's a tale with a slow beginning and no real end or ground to rely on - an etheral narration with some pretty visuals and scenes empty of meaning.

If I were to make a comparison, I'd pick "The fountain". They look alike in many ways, sharing a radical vision of movie-making and story telling but where the fountain kept me involved in the character development process and opened some thoughts, "Dante 01" just got me lost somewhere loosing the meaning of it's concept - or maybe I never got it in the first place.

Overall, the movie itself isn't bad and you can see it without regrets it's still a nice movie but it's nothing more and that is probably the most disappointing thing about it : you don't feel more than looking at an OK film. Now, I do hope Caro will be directing again and with a better budget and more freedom over his uncompromising style, making this one just a trial step for better materials next time.