One Saturday night when me and my partner were at a bit of a loss for something to do we decided a nice cosy up with either some TV or a film would be good. At the recommendation of a friend we went for a film, in particular Babylon A.D. We were told little more than "It's a sci-fi film with Vin Diesel and I like it" considering I trust my friends, this seemed a good enough reason to watch the film.

*********The plot (contains spoilers!)*********

In the not too distant future a hardened mercenary named Toorop is given the task of smuggling a young woman known as Aurora from Russia to New York. The task is given to Toorop by a mobster, Gorsky, who in return gives Toorop a passport back to America.
Aurora's carer (a nun) who brought her up in the absence of Aurora's parents (Rebeka) travels with Aurora and Toorop by foot, train and submarine. Along the way Aurora displays some strange behaviour which is explained away by Rebeka until she admits to Toorop that Aurora has always held knowledge without needing to learn it first. Someone suggests to Toorop that Aurora may be carrying a viral bomb.

Once reaching New York, it turns out that the convent Aurora and Rebeka previously lived at has been bombed, Aurora is somehow pregnant with twins although still a virgin and we learn how Aurora was genetically modified before birth to provide a manufactured miracle.
Several deaths and action scenes take us though the story, which ends with the birth of Aurora's children and Aurora's own death.

*********The cast*********

Vin diesel (Toorop), Michelle Yeoh (Rebeka) and Melanie Thierry (Aurora) are cast as the main characters. The film also stars Gerard Depardieu, Lambert Wilson, Mark Strong, Charlotte Rampling, David Gasman and David Belle.
My opinion
I'm pretty sure that I've never had such a poor film recommended to me. I found the story line messy, the dialogue and characters not interesting enough to hold attention and the action scenes were adequate at best.

I was left very frustrated at the end of the film, too much was left explained, too many random things had happened and I was struggling to make sense of the whole thing.
I'm not a huge fan of Vin Diesel (I don't particularly dislike him either though, he's just not my kind of guy) but I would think that the film might be slightly more enjoyable if you are a fan of his. Although I can't see that the slight advantage of liking the actors would make this film much more watchable.

My partner did not enjoy this film either, he described it as a waste of time. He had appeared only mildly interested after the first half hour had passed and "what the hell"-ing at the screen with me by the final scenes.
As you probably already gathered from my opening and the fact that I only gave this film one star, I cannot recommend this film at all, I wish I had watched something else instead!

*********The details*********

Release date: 29th August 2008
Directed by: Mathiew Kassovitz
Produced by: Iian Goldman
Running time: 101 minutes
Based on: Babylon Babies by Maurice G. Dantec

Babylon A.D. can be bought on DVD from Amazon.co.uk from £4.80 with free super saver delivery.