This review contains MINOR SPOILERS for the DVD release of "Babylon A.D."

"Babylon A.D." is something of a guilty pleasure; a complete no-brainer that teeters on the edge of pointlessness, yet when the action starts it is hard to tear yourself away.

Although it's not quite the Hindenburg of disasters, Vin Diesel's monosyllabic opening spiel fails to pack any kind of punch and instead comes with a touch of foreshadowing on what to expect through the rest of the movie: "life's a bitch and then you die."

As the titles role and Diesel goes for a stroll (aided by some impressive camera pans over a broken world), the intended grittiness is very quickly lost by the accompanying rap music. Think "Dark Angel" without the coolness factor, the opening act proves to be a bitter disappointment as an introduction into the life of Toorop and the language barrier only makes it harder to establish any kind of emotional kinship with his character.

Choosing to focus on action over emotional nuances proves to be the smartest decision director Mathieu Kassovitz made during production; "Babylon A.D." is devoid of all expression but more than makes up for it through its large feats of battle, blood and cursing. The hardcore brutality of the cage fight and the arctic shootout are completely unadulterated in their intensity.

Trying to deliver Aurora (M?lanie Thierry) to New York City, Toorop's journey takes him to through too many frontiers of the future and is often plagued by lack of a back story on how the world came to be in such a state or how Toorop came to be in Russia. Despite his efforts, Diesel will never recover the anti-hero persona that turned him into a household name in the nineties.

But still, if you are looking for a couple of hours of action packed scenes, topped with some flashy visuals and a plot that doesn't quite make sense, "Babylon A.D." is the stuff of legend.

What Worked

Despite being pegged as a "Vin Diesel movie," it is Michelle Yeoh who carries the close-knit action sequences, brandishing her own form of ballet fighting that keeps the fighting fluid.

The clich?-crammed arctic chase sequence is particularly satisfying, and comes with all kinds of gadgets you would expect to find in a 007 armada. Doing loops over missiles, jumping over exploding hills and having an unconscious Toorop save the day may not be the most original of ideas, but they do entertain.

"Babylon A.D.'s" special edition release also boasts some impressive extras including an interview with Maurice G. Dantec who penned the original novel, a series of documentaries on the stunt co-ordination and also a comic-book style prequel to the birth of Aurora (which is easily more inspiring than the actual movie).

What Didn't Work

Aside from most of the acting, all of the slower "catch-up" scenes and the entire first act, "Babylon A.D." suffered through the lack of any form of developing mythology or meaningful prologue. It also struggles to attain the same grittiness that made "Children of Men" such a fascinating and captivating story, and the idea of comparing Diesel to Clive Owen is in itself debatable.

There is also a hidden drinking game within the movie designed to have you hammered by the end credits: take a shot every time Toorop tries to light his cigarette. Try it, and you'll be as expressive as Vin Diesel before the movie hits its halfway point.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"Babylon A.D." is based on "Babylon Babies" by Maurice G. Dantec. It was written by Eric Besnard and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz.

Alan Stanley Blair is the assistant news editor for Airlock Alpha and its sister site Rabid Doll. Contributing from his home country of Scotland, he is currently studying for a diploma in freelance journalism and can be reached at anytime at ablair@airlockalpha.com.

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