Immortal (Ad Vitam)

Plot

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.

Release Year: 2004

Rating: 5.9/10 (11,832 voted)

Director:
Enki Bilal

Stars: Linda Hardy, Thomas Kretschmann, Charlotte Rampling

Storyline
This movie is set in the year 2095, hence the presence of mutant humans and extraterrestrials. The main character is known as Jill. She is not human. When she is discovered by Dr. Elma Turner she is diagnosed as being the most interesting genetic test subject Turner has ever come across. Her organs are not in the right place, she has no memory and her internal biological age appears to be only three months old. Turner gives her a break, giving her an identity card and a place to stay, in exchange for Jill being her guinea-pig to work on and discover more about. Nicopol is a frozen prisoner who is due to be released a year after the film is set. There is a problem in the frozen prisoners' ward and several are thrown down to the ground(dying in the process), including Nicopol, but he lives and only loses a leg. There is a lot more to this story but I can't disclose it in this summary; I don't have the words.

Writers: Enki Bilal, Enki Bilal

Cast:

Linda Hardy
–

Jill Bioskop

Thomas Kretschmann
–

Alcide Nikopol

Charlotte Rampling
–

Elma Turner

Yann Collette
–

Froebe

Frédéric Pierrot
–

John

Thomas M. Pollard
–

Horus

Joe Sheridan
–

Allgood

Corinne Jaber
–

Lily Liang

Olivier Achard
–

Checker

Jerry Di Giacomo
–

Jack Turner

Dominique Mahut
–

Hotel Receptionist

Gary Cowan
–

Tycho Barman

Augustin Legrand
–

Pusher
/
Salesman

Javon Constantin
–

Eugenics Little Boy

Owen Steketee
–

Horus's Baby

Details

Official Website:
Official Site [Japan] |
Telema / UFD [France] |

Release Date: 24 March 2004

Box Office Details

Budget: €22,100,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: €154,065
(Italy)
(21 November 2004)
(115 Screens)

Gross: €154,065
(Italy)
(21 November 2004)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Nikopol's first name in the comics is Alcide.

Quotes:

Hotel Receptionist:
[Jill approaching, carrying grocery bags]
How is Dr. Elma Turner?

Jill Bioskop:
Never been better.

Hotel Receptionist:
Welcome to the Western Hysteria Hotel, 39th floor, room 12. Any friend of Dr. Turner is a friend of mine.

User Review

This not for kids and less for empty minded adults

Rating:


One of the most surprising and disappointing things I read on other
peoples comments were the comparison with PIXAR and of course the
quality of the computer generated images. It seems, that US public,
values ART according the technical resources of the artist more than
the spiritually of the work.

Cinema is art. In USA, that art has become almost absolutely dependent
on business. The main reason I am anxious for digital (not film) movies
and projectors in every theatre; it is because I will be able to see
real artist working not just moneymaking customer oriented factories.
Productions will become less expensive, and everybody would be able to
create and be judged for their work. In the mean time, luckily in
Europe (mostly in France), there are still people interested in art and
this movie had a go; something should never happened in USA. A brief
description of the argument follows.

HORUS (the god of the sky), about to be executed by his peers, is given
7 days to visit Earth for the last time. He spends his time searching
for a particular woman he wants to impregnate. To do that he needs a
human body to act as his vessel (or container). An accidentally escaped
terrorist (or we can call it a rebel) becomes it. The woman herself is
having mysterious body changes and a complete lost of past memories. A
lot of small events and characters are involved in the whole situation.

IMMORTEL (ad vitam) is a strange movie; full of religious and
philosophical bits. Do not expect more explanations than these. The
mystery is part of the movie poetry and is really up to you to
understand or feel it. The answers (if any) are pretty hidden inside
the movie.

Technically, there are moments (not always but a good average) were the
merge of human characters and digital images is credible. The BLADE
RUNNER style background scenery is perfectly crafted. The few action
scenes are OK but not spectacular; as this is not really an action
movie you could accept that.

Final advise; spend a couple of hours with this movie. It would not
change your life, but it would make your brain work; and sometimes that
is a lot.