Babylon A.D.
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Mathieu Kassovitz (director and co-writer) |
| Products | Science fiction action movie |
Babylon A.D. is a 2008 science fiction action movie directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, who co-wrote the screenplay with Éric Besnard. The film adapts the 1999 novel Babylon Babies. It features Vin Diesel portraying a mercenary assigned to transport a highly intelligent young woman named Aurora to the United States. The ensemble cast also includes Michelle Yeoh, Mélanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson, and Mark Strong. This production was a collaborative effort between France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The movie debuted in France on August 29, 2008, under the distribution of StudioCanal. Despite a production budget estimated between $60 and $70 million, it grossed only $72 million worldwide, falling short of commercial expectations. Critical reception was largely unfavorable. Kassovitz publicly distanced himself from the finished film, attributing the outcome to interference by 20th Century Fox that compromised his original vision.
Plot
Set in a near-future dystopia,[1] Toorop, a mercenary hired by Russian crime lord Gorsky, is tasked with escorting Aurora, a young woman with extraordinary intellect, from Asia to New York City. Toorop travels armed and carries a subdermal UN passport as he journeys with Aurora and her protector, Sister Rebeka, departing from a Noelite Convent located in Kyrgyzstan and passing through Russia.
While America enjoys advanced technology, Russian urban centers have deteriorated into perilous slums plagued by conflict and terrorism. Aurora demonstrates unusual traits including clairvoyance; notably, she escapes a train station just before it is targeted in a terrorist attack. The group narrowly avoids mercenaries claiming to represent Aurora’s supposedly deceased father. Later, they board a submarine ferrying refugees to Canada, where Aurora takes control after the captain kills some passengers to avoid detection.
Sister Rebeka discloses Aurora’s remarkable capabilities: by age two she had mastered nineteen languages and possessed knowledge beyond her experience. Her demeanor shifted after ingesting a pill provided by a Noelite physician who instructed them to head to New York and arranged for Toorop’s protection.
Upon reaching Alaska with assistance from Toorop’s ally Finn, they come under attack by armed drones. Toorop manages to destroy the drones but sustains injuries; Finn betrays them and is subsequently killed by Toorop. In Harlem, reports of the convent bombing expose the Noelites as an emerging salvationist sect exploiting miracles to gain influence. Gorsky, acting on behalf of the Noelites, had implanted a tracking device in Toorop’s passport and orchestrated the bombing.
Aurora undergoes further examination by the doctor and reveals she is pregnant with twins despite being a virgin. Surrounded by Gorsky’s forces and Noelite followers, Toorop rescues Aurora and Sister Rebeka during a firefight; Rebeka sacrifices herself defending Aurora. Aurora shoots Toorop, stating "I need you to live," which induces clinical death in him—this disrupts missile targeting systems and ultimately saves them both.
Dr. Arthur Darquandier revives Toorop using advanced medical procedures and cybernetic enhancements following his extended death. He explains that a supercomputer was implanted into Aurora’s brain while she was still a fetus; the Noelites engineered her virgin pregnancy to serve their purposes. After Gorsky failed to kill Darquandier, he was eliminated by the High Priestess via nuclear missile amid a payment conflict. The High Priestess then kills Darquandier, but Toorop manages to escape.
Toorop locates Aurora at his former residence and takes her to a hospital where she passes away six months later after giving birth. Programmed solely for reproduction, Aurora’s death was predetermined. Toorop assumes responsibility for their twins—one resembling Aurora and the other himself.
Alternate conclusion
The version released by "StudioCanal" excludes the intense pursuit involving Noelite soldiers chasing Toorop, as well as the concluding sequence featuring Toorop alongside Aurora's children.
Cast
- Vin Diesel portrays Hugo Toorop, a mercenary and ex-Marine originating from Upstate New York. After being deported to Eastern Europe, he operates as a smuggler, demonstrating expertise in advanced weaponry, combat techniques, strategic planning, and culinary skills.
- Michelle Yeoh plays Sister Rebeka, a nun affiliated with a strict Noelite faction. Hailing from San Francisco, she joined the Noelites at age 17 to escape abuse and serves as Aurora’s protector within their convent in Mongolia.
- Mélanie Thierry acts as Aurora, a child nurtured by Noelite nuns. A prodigious talent with supernatural abilities, she mastered 19 languages by the age of two and possesses an acute sense of impending danger.
- Gérard Depardieu is cast as Gorsky, a wealthy Russian crime lord who hires Toorop to escort Aurora to the United States. He commands a private armed force and travels in an armored personnel carrier limousine accompanied by guards.
- Charlotte Rampling embodies the High Priestess of the Noelite Church, whose ambitions prioritize power and wealth over spiritual devotion. She seeks to harness scientific methods to create miracles that will broaden her church’s reach.
- Mark Strong portrays Finn, a Russian smuggler and former associate of Toorop who aids in Aurora’s transportation, though Toorop remains cautious of his intentions.
- Lambert Wilson plays Dr. Arthur Darquandier, Aurora’s disabled father, who is believed to be deceased.
- David Belle appears as Hacker Kid, leader of Darquandier’s operatives tracking Toorop and Aurora across America.
- Jérôme Le Banner features as Killa, an underground fighter.
Development
Mathieu Kassovitz spent five years adapting Maurice Georges Dantec's novel Babylon Babies into an English-language screenplay. By June 2005, funding was secured through StudioCanal and Twentieth Century Fox. Kassovitz co-authored the script with Éric Besnard. The original production schedule aimed for filming to commence in February 2006 across Canada and Eastern Europe.
Casting
Initially, French actor Vincent Cassel was considered for the leading role. However, by February 2006, Vin Diesel entered talks to star in Babylon A.D., choosing this project over his part in Hitman.
Filming
Principal photography began in June 2006 with plans to finish by April 2007 for a Thanksgiving release date. Shooting occurred at Barrandov Studios and various locations within the Czech Republic, including Ostrava, featuring principal actors Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, and Mélanie Thierry. Adverse weather conditions delayed snow scenes, necessitating a scouting trip to Iceland, where six to eight days of additional filming took place. The French visual effects firm BUF Compagnie, supervised by Stephane Ceretti, managed the film’s visual effects.
In April 2007, actor Lambert Wilson was added to the cast roster. Filming wrapped up in May 2007.
The distinctive tattoo symbol on Toorop’s neck was created by American artist Khem Caigan and is derived from the Schlangekraft Necronomicon (1977).
Music
The soundtrack for Babylon A.D. was composed by Icelandic musician Atli Örvarsson with Jérôme Hadey serving as music supervisor. The score incorporated contributions from Achozen, a musical collaboration featuring Shavo Odadjian and RZA. Producer Hans Zimmer described the soundtrack as blending hip hop elements with classical music to produce an innovative auditory experience.
Re-editing
Two distinct versions were produced: a 101-minute cut by StudioCanal intended for the French and German markets, and a shorter 90-minute edition by 20th Century Fox for audiences in the United States and the United Kingdom. The extended version was subsequently made available on English-language home video under the title "Raw and Uncut."
Release
Initially set to premiere in the US on 29 February 2008, Babylon A.D. experienced a delay, with its release pushed back to 29 August 2008. By January 2009, the film had accumulated global box office earnings of $72.1 million. In the American market, it secured second place behind Tropic Thunder, generating $9.5 million from 3,390 theaters, averaging $2,798 per venue.
Reception
Critical response to the film was largely unfavorable. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a mere 7% approval rating derived from 102 critiques, with detractors highlighting its deficient screenplay and substandard action scenes. Metacritic assigns it a score of 26%, reflecting predominantly negative assessments. Audience feedback gathered by CinemaScore resulted in a D+ rating.
Jordan Mintzer of Variety characterized the movie as "a louder, more expensive iteration of Children of Men," yet noted it lacked that film’s socio-political insight and directorial finesse.
Kassovitz's response
Mathieu Kassovitz publicly distanced himself from the finished product, likening it to "a poor-quality episode of 24" and attributing this outcome to continuous interference from 20th Century Fox during production. He asserted that he was never afforded the chance to film scenes according to his original script or vision.
In 2011, a French documentary titled Fucking Kassovitz was released, exploring the difficulties encountered throughout the film’s production process.
Home media
The film became available on Blu-ray and DVD in Europe (Region 2) on 29 December 2008, followed by a Region 1 release in the United States on 6 January 2009. Concurrently, the French-language 101-minute version was issued on Blu-ray in the US market as Babylon A.D. – Raw and Uncut.