The Gene Generation
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DVD details
Actor: Bai Ling, Robert David HallBrand: Lions Gate
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 96 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-01-27
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Reviews of The Gene Generation
DVD Review: Nice Visuals and Bai Ling's Raw Appeal is the Film's True Highlights!
Summary: 3 Stars
There has been a lot of comic book to film adaptations for the past several years. Being a film based on a comic book called "DNA Hacker Chronicles" and a joint international effort between Asian and Western filmmakers, of course I was immediately drawn to "The Gene Generation". Why not? My expectations were very low and it stars sexy Chinese actress Bai Ling and the director is the comic book's creator; Pearry Teo--so how bad can it really get? I like Bai Ling and I like science fiction, so I decided to give it a shot.
In a post-apocalyptic future, science has created a device that can easily manipulate human D.N.A.--this device can either heal or cause abominations. When a group of profiteers/extremists intends to use the device as a weapon, Christian (Alec Newman) decides to steal the device to keep it from being used by the wrong people. Meanwhile, Michelle (Bai Ling), a beautiful assassin who works for the authorities to kill DNA hackers is pulled into her family's drama when her brother Jackie (Parry Shen) runs afoul of gambling debts and some hackers whose modus operandi is to mess with a victim's DNA. No matter how hard Michelle attempts to steer her brother from trouble, it just finds him and he always relies on her to bail him out. However, this time, Jackie may have gone too far as he crosses Michelle's own employers. Can Michelle save him and herself one last time?
I have very mixed feelings about this film. It has very attractive visuals, the CGI EFX looks like they came straight from an Xbox 360 and CGI fan boys will be somewhat satisfied. The film looks very cool, the CGI generated set designs are very moody and atmospheric. The costumes and characters looked like they came straight from a "cyberfunk" anime feature. There is one villain who looks like a "Sephiroth" (from Final Fantasy 7) rip-off and Michelle is so alluringly sexy but at the same time, looks very lethal. The story's main premise isn't really that bad, it has elements of corruption, social class, greed, love and family. There are also some creative elements--a typewriter is retooled to work as a computer, the ghettos have a filthy yet advanced look. (I loved the flying Chinese-inspired ships) and well, there is even splattering blood and some gore, not to mention, sex and nudity.
Ok, so I basically named most of the cool stuff I look for in a sci-fi film, but the problems of the film begin with its very uneven direction. Some plot elements seemed a little too rushed, it felt like Pearry Teo was in over his head trying to fit all the elements of the comic into one 96 minute film. Sequences seem to jump around at times, and lacks the necessary groundwork. All the elements seem really cool but the screenplay by Zhang Pingli and Keith Collea was inconsistent. The script is also a little dry and too obligatory.
As for the action sequences, some looked quite cool, while others were mediocre. There is a very cool scene when Michelle was surrounded by gunmen, and the way she dispatches her attackers was seemingly inspired by "Gun-Kata". (From Equilibrium and Ultraviolet). It was rather obvious that most of the film's budget went to the visually cool set designs and costumes that the fight scenes were sacrificed; some fights looked better than others though. The need for multiple angles and perspective camerawork is definitely needed to make the action hard-hitting and exciting--a low budget did hurt this needed practice. But to Bai Ling's credit, it did look like she did most of her own stunts. There is a lot of cool posturing that complements its cool visuals.
The acting for the most part is full of human angst. I don't think I saw anyone else smile aside from Bai Ling after she had sex with Alec Newman's character Christian. Bai Ling has a magnetic presence, at times she looks trashy yet but still remains so alluringly seductive that her nude scenes are definitely one of the film's saving grace. Her costumes and make up give her character a lot of personality, and I have to say, her lethal sexy character is enough to keep me glued to my seat. The supporting cast does a very mediocre job, given with the little factors they were given to work with. Parry Shen acts with the same style as with his other flicks and Faye Dunaway has a special guest appearance as the villainous Josephine.
Overall, "the Gene Generation" has all the elements sci-fi aficionados would look for; great visuals, a very sexy and cool heroine, sex and nudity, blood and violence, a decent premise but sadly it didn't do much with everything it had pitched in. The film is very superficial, and could have done a lot better with a more experienced director or as an anime series. I do appreciate that the filmmakers seemed to have their hearts in the right place. Sadly, after all is said and done, the lasting impression it leaves is just how seductively sexy Bai Ling really is--the rest is forgettable. Bai Ling's raw sexual appeal may well be enough to take this film out of the unwatchable list.
Recommended ONLY to Bai Ling fanboys and a Rental for everybody else.
[3 Stars]
Description of The Gene Generation
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