Imaginative premise, great villains, clever plot twists and otherworldly scenery

Rating: 10/10 (12 July 2013)

New movies can't have female villains. Women are supposed to be the pretty victims of bad guys-- serial killers, stalkers, wife-beaters, criminal masterminds, terrorists, rapists, what have you. If you're as tired of that unrealistic premise as I am, you might take a little extra pleasure from this creatively twisted scifi adventure.
Our hero describes himself as part of a mopup crew in a post-alien invaded, devastated Earth being readied for final evacuation. Our first clue that something's amiss comes when he also tells us that he received a "mem wipe" to accomplish his mission of maintaining the machinery that is packing up Earth's water for a trip to humanity's new home on Titan. He and his female partner, in every sense of the word, are due to leave for good in only a few weeks when he picks up on a few other clues that start to jog his repressed memories. Is he really a hero, or is he being manipulated? I loved the imagery of this movie. Iceland's barren and bizarre terrain is as awe-inspiring as any alien world might be. The machines themselves are also beautiful, graceful and clean, much like the futuristic flying EVE robot in WALL-E, only fierce. Even though the movie ran longer than I expected, I was glad that gave me a chance to soak up more of the scenery, like an extended stay in some fantasy paradise. Buy a ticket, see the show. You'll be glad you visited.