Space Agents: The Mysterious Ax

Another superb example of French animated cinema, Space Agents is a CGI animated film like no other. Created in Unreal Engine, iClone and Actorcore, made entirely by one guy during the 2020 Pandemic. It's a lightning-in-a-bottle type of film. One where we see the imagination of one person light up the screen. That's exactly what makes this film so unique and enjoyable.

The action is fast paced, and the particle effects in particular had me doing somersaults. It's fantastic, as is the martial arts choreography. The director, Dom Fred, specializes in 3D animation and martial arts, and these two fortes are displayed with finesse on screen. The alien designs are cool, as are the ship designs (they are amazing). Color grading also stands out as being very unique and eye catching.

One thing that will turn most people off about this movie is the very free-flowing style to the plot, where things happen and we aren't necessarily given explanation as to how, but are more expected to go with it and think about it on our own terms. I love this style of film, but many don't, and this will turn a lot of people off. Another thing that may deter the average viewer is the lack of realism in the facial animations and expressions, as well as problems with lip-synching. For me, these shortcomings are easy to look past given the ambition and intrigue behind everything else, and the fact that this was a small production of less than 100 people.

I hope you enjoy Space Agents: The Mysterious Ax. I find it to be a hell of a ride, and I'll be waiting for a blu-ray (if it ever manifests). For now, you can watch the film for free on Tubi and I believe on most other streaming services. I would say this film is for fans of HEAVY sci-fi, action, fantasy, and/ or people with a heavy interest in CGI and Vfx. If you're not into those, it may not be too rewarding, but give it a shot at least!