Renaissance

French cinema is often synonymous with style, and this visual gem from first time director Christian Volckman is no exception. Shot in stark black and white CGI, Renaissance is less a movie more a living graphic novel.

Set against the gritty backdrop of a future Paris, Renaissance spins a classic noir yarn of rogue cop, missing dame, and sinister organisation. Fusing elements of Blade Runner and Elmore Leonard (influences readily acknowledged by the writer and director), the plot draws us through the dark atmosphere with convoluted twists and reveals. Top this off with an unexpected ending, and you can easily overlook the more cliched moments.

Technically the movie is brilliant. Harsh black and white lends a stark beauty to the future Paris, giving us many visually memorable views of the cityscape. Characters move with grace and fluidity thanks to some exceptionally good motion capture work; especially noticeable in the films many action sequences. Speaking of which, there is a truly classic chase sequence captured through some brilliant camerawork.

The movie has been blessed with an impressive English dub; the likes of Ian Holm, Jonathan Pryce, and (man of the moment) Daniel Craig lending their voices and considerable acting talent to the characters. Despite this, characters do come across a little shallow and stereotypical of the genre. The lack of depth doesn't greatly impinge proceedings, but does keep it firmly in the realm of cool graphic novel rather than stunning noir.

A brief making of and a short from the director round out the dvd. Given the time and technique this took to create, you can't help but feel a little underwhelmed. Stylish, technically accomplished, and visually memorable, this cool piece of sci-fi noir should earn itself a place in your collection.