Ultraviolet: Ultra let down
One of the major factors that helps the film is the presence of Milla Jovovich. Having made a name for herself in "B" sci-fi films like The Fifth Element and the Resident Evil series, Jovovich looks great in this movie. She fits the character more than Charlize Theron ever did with Aeon Flux. However, when the story is boiled down, it is basically the same deal. There was so little confidence in this movie by the studio (Screen Gems, a division of Sony) that they didn't even screen it for critics.
Ultraviolet is not as bad as Aeon Flux though. Ultraviolet narrates a futuristic world where the military industrial complex has been replaced by the medical industrial complex. Because a genetically engineered virus has been infecting the human population, people are endlessly paranoid about disease. Those infected are called "hemophages," and they are shunned by society. The hemophages have banded together and are trying to overthrow the humans, which is leading to their systematic extermination.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Violet (Jovovich) is a hemophage soldier sent to intercept a weapon from the humans. However, once it is in her hands, she discovers that it is a human boy, played by overexposed Cameron Bright. She double crosses both the humans and the hemophages in order to save the boy, who is carrying a possible cure for the virus.
The line deliveries are laughable, including many given by Nick Chinlund, who plays the main antagonist. Even Jovovich, who is a decent actor in her own right, has to chew through some awful dialogue that makes Charlie's Angles 2 look like Shakespeare.
The biggest fault lies in the writing. The script doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and the story appears to be a wet bandage to link together overblown action and fight sequences. Even these action scenes leave a lot to be desired because they are overly stylised and slathered with cheesy CGI work and unnecessary virtual camera set-ups. In some ways, it's like watching another Spy Kids movie.