Renaissance (2006)
Average Rating: 5.5/10
Reviews Counted: 74
Fresh: 35 | Rotten: 39
Renaissance attempts to blend sci-fi wonder with stark noir animation, but is often more fun to look at than to watch.
Average Rating: 5.7/10
Critic Reviews: 20
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 11
Renaissance attempts to blend sci-fi wonder with stark noir animation, but is often more fun to look at than to watch.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 25,710
My Rating
Movie Info
In the labyrinthine streets of 21st century Paris, where every move is monitored and ever action recorded, a mysterious kidnapping sets into motion a catastrophic series of events that could ultimately prove the downfall of civilization. The year is 2054, and the Avalon Corporation has securely woven its way into every aspect of modern living by making youth and beauty the most valued commodity around. Troubles arises in the City of Lights when a high-profile scientist named Ilona (voice of
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Daniel Craig
Barthélémy Karas, Bar... -
Patrick Floersheim
Barthélémy Karas [Fre... -
Laura Blanc
Bislane Tasuiev [French... -
Catherine McCormack
Bislane Tasuiev -
Virgine Mery
Ilona Tasuiev [French] -
Romola Garai
Ilona Tasuiev -
Ian Holm
Dr. Jonas Muller -
Gabriel Ledoze
Paul Dellenbach [French... -
Kevork Malikyan
Nusrat Farfella -
Marc Cassot
Jonas Muller [French] -
Jonathan Pryce
Paul Dellenbach -
Bruno Choel
Pierre -
Rick Warden
Pierre Amiel -
Marc Alfos
Nusrat -
Nina Sosanya
Reparaz -
Lachelle Carl
Nora -
Sean Pertwee
Montoya -
Sean Barrett
Naghib -
Robert Dauney
Barthélémy Karas (Moc... -
Crystal Shepherd-Cross
Bislane Tasuiev (Mocap) -
Ilona Tasuiev
Van Waess Isabelle (Moc... -
Max Hayter
Paul Dellenbach (Mocap) -
Marco Lorenzi
Dr. Jonas Muller (Mocap... -
Jerome Causse
Pierre Amiel (Mocap) -
Clémentine Baert
Nurses (Mocap) -
Chris Bearne
Parisian (Mocap) -
David Benito
Naghib (Mocap) -
Tsuyu Bridwell
Raparaz (Mocap) -
Alexandre Degli Esposito
Young Farfella (Mocap) -
Boutros El Amari
Goran (Mocap) -
Marcia Fantin
Parisian (Mocap) -
Logan Feierbach
Théo (Mocap), Théo (Mo... -
Raphaël Fuchs-Willis
Claus Muller (Mocap) -
Paul Jenkins
Security Force (Mocap) -
Radica Jovovich
Woman Hostage (Mocap) -
Christian Kmiotek
Vord Lover (Mocap) -
Sophie Knight
Farfella's Woman (Mocap... -
Anouk Lenorman
Little Girl With Balloo... -
Salomé Lenorman
Little Girl (Mocap) -
Kumar Motiani
Farfella's Security For... -
Julian Nest
Parisian (Mocap) -
Daniel Plier
Montoya (Mocap) -
Tim Probyn
Policeman (Mocap) -
Vladimir Radovic
Nightclubber (Mocap) -
Jessica Reavis
Avalon's Hostess (Mocap... -
Arnita Swanson
Nora (Mocap) -
Neil Underwood
Homeless Man (Mocap) -
Chas Warlow
Woeller (Mocap) -
Robert Watson Barr
Dr. Nakata (Mocap) -
Linda Woodhall
Elderly Woman (Mocap) -
Leslie Woodhall
Elderly Man (Mocap) -
Jean-François Wolff
Nusrat Farfella (Mocap) -
Isabelle Van Waes
Ilona Tasuiev (Mocap)
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (75) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (40) | DVD (20)
It's a testament to the production design that one quickly gets caught up in the story without ever completely losing the "ooh-ahh" factor. Ominous, wall-to-wall music bolsters the appropriately uneasy mood, and the bittersweet conclusion is satisfying.
Top CriticFor its retro-futurist look alone, this outdated thriller set in 2054 Paris is worth seeing.
Its dark images echo in the mind's eye. And for that alone, it's worth seeing.
An empty experience; lots of shadow and noise, adding up to very little.
It's unfortunate that it's all in the service of a story as dull as it is complicated, though if you can make it to the end without drifting off, there is a small reward.
The sophistication of Renaissance is all in its ultracool appearance, with little of interest beneath its glittering surface.
The picture is visually stark - at times imagining Fritz Lang had directed The Matrix - and isolated compositions, spiked with high contrast menace, are impressive in their artistic detail. However, the perfunctory plot is B-grade sci-fi.
The script's fusion of B-movie crime cliches and dystopian futurism, if not exactly original, is nonetheless vigorously engaging, and the English-language voice cast is good enough to make the existential noodling seem like real dialogue.
Visually impressive sci-fi noir
The visuals of Christian Volckman's film blow away just about everything else on the screen this year.
It is more Sin City (the graphic novel) than Sin City (the movie)! Or at least on a purely visual level . . .
Animated French sci-fi noir is dark and violent.
a truly exemplary package of supplementary materials that are entertaining, informative, and just the right length.
Like most cyberpunk, this film has a stellar premise. However, also in the tradition of cyberpunk, its storytelling and presentation is as murky as its production design.
...suffers from an unpleasant and relentlessly distracting animation style that ultimately renders its few positive attributes moot.
There are no grey shadings in the film's visual palette to match the characters' more equivocal moralities, and the result is a dark, dark world occasionally exposed to the most harsh and unforgiving of lights.
Saved by the strong performances, taut atmosphere, and awe inspiring animation...
Like a large glass of vodka laced with pixie sticks, the visually arresting French fable Renaissance is an intoxicating sugar-spun addiction.
a film that can be appreciated, idolized even, for its stunning visual artistry, as well as admired for its unsentimental homage to the film noir genre it reproduces with such precision
...the people who made Renaissance seem to have started with a concept and forgotten a story.
The movie radiates a dark, eerie, mysterious, otherworldly quality, yet it isn't enough to sustain over an hour and an half of story.
Audience Reviews for Renaissance
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Renaissance yet.
Latest News on Renaissance
September 25, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: "Jackass" #1, "Little Miss Sunshine" Crosses $50MYoung men returned to theaters in droves and powered the crude new stunts sequel Jackass: Number Two...
September 22, 2006:
RT Talks to the "Renaissance" ManRT's own Jen Yamato sat down with "Renaissance" director Christian Volckman, who discussed...
September 21, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: Jackass Crashes into TheatersFour new films open wide, but they may not be enough to stop the North American box office from...
What's Hot On RT
Trailer for James Franco adaptation
Star Trek is Certified Fresh
Rachel McAdams' time travel romantic drama
Trailer for Tom Hanks thriller
Featured on RT
- Weekly Ketchup: Will Smith to Star in Wild Bunch Remake? 33
- Critics Consensus: Star Trek Into Darkness is Certified Fresh 89
- Red Carpet Roundup: Star Trek Into Darkness Edition 0
- Video Interviews with Katie Aselton & Lake Bell of Black Rock 2
- VIP Access: Eli Roth talks Aftershock 1
- Total Recall: Star Trek Movies 93
- Parental Guidance: Star Trek Into Darkness 18
Top Headlines
-
J.J. Abrams Talks Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Wars, and More
0
-
Vin Diesel Says Fast & Furious 7 Will Begin a New Trilogy
7
-
Mickey Rourke Confirmed for Expendables 3
3
-
Brad Bird Still Mulling Incredibles 2
0
-
Reese Witherspoon, Jena Malone, and Martin Short Join Inherent Vice
0
-
Bruce Willis Makes an Expiration Date
2
-
Drew Pearce Hired for Mission: Impossible 5
0
Fresh Links
Featured
Star Trek Movies Ranked
HitFix offers their own take on the worst-to-best of the Enterprise crew's cinematic adventures.
Top 10 Star Trek Villains
Rolling Stone unveils the Enterprise's most irksome adversaries.
Celebrity Yearkbook Flashback
We'll bet you never realized how many stars were cheerleaders and high school athletes!
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Weirdest Movie Siblings
From Twins to The Royal Tenenbaums, Moviefone explores cinema's oddest siblings.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
