Inkspot2020

Director Jérémie Périn took inspiration from classic sci-fi noir films like Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner, and Minority Report. He was particularly interested in placing a female protagonist in a traditionally male-dominated role. In fact, in the first version of the script, there was only one lead character, but the team later decided to split it into two: the private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner, Carlos Rivera. The film explores a fascinating philosophical debate: when does a robot become ethically indistinguishable from a living being? It also tells a very original story while incorporating numerous influences, such as Isaac Asimov’s laws of robotics, which state that robots cannot harm humans — an idea that feels increasingly relevant to our technological future.Additionally, the film is packed with Easter eggs — so many that I probably missed a few. For example, the sword-wielding killer is a clear homage to Terminator 2.Interestingly, the movie also shares the aesthetic and themes of two major video games: Cyberpunk 2077 and Detroit: Become Human. However, this was purely coincidental, as the film’s development started in 2017, long before those games became widely popular. What struck me the most was the incredible attention to detail. From everyday objects like forks and knives to vehicles, everything feels like a realistic vision of a near future rather than pure sci-fi fantasy. One of my favorite details is how droids occasionally need to reboot due to operating system updates — something that mirrors our own daily struggles with **** fact that the film is set on Mars adds another layer of realism. The French writers use this setting to critique the expensive vision of colonizing Mars, pushed by certain American billionaires. In the movie beneath its utopian facade, Mars hides a corrupt and decaying society. The animation appears to be primarily hand-drawn 2D, with subtle 3D elements used for depth and certain details. It’s incredibly fluid and polished, seamlessly transitioning from slick, gory fight scenes to subtle, expressive character moments. Despite the minimalist and simple art style, the character expressions are strikingly realistic — I never realized how much emotion is possible to achieve with just two simple lines! I can only imagine how much effort went into designing the droids, as their designs are truly unique and visually compelling. Set in the year 2200, mostly on the surface of Mars, the story follows the investigation led by the two protagonists. Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that this is not a straightforward linear thriller. Instead, each new character introduced in the story provides another piece of the puzzle, unraveling the detective investigation. The film had a budget of €9 million but, unfortunately, only grossed around $1.5 million. This might be due to poor marketing (I only discovered it by chance on a plane), but critically, Mars Express has been very well received. It earned several award nominations and was even highlighted by Polygon as one of the best animated films of 2024, praised for its “meticulously well-crafted characters” and “heady themes.”I genuinely believe this movie deserves more love from audiences. If you’re a fan of sci-fi animation, cybernetics, or the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI and biotechnology, Mars Express is absolutely worth watching.