Film review: Vexille

Vexille is set in the year 2077, 10 years after Japan has isolated herself from the rest of the world. A system of generators surrounds Japan, creating an energy field called the R.A.C.E. Network, cutting off all communication with the outside world and inhibiting satellite surveillance. The exported Daiwa Corporation robotic appliances are the only things that leave the country. When a Japanese operative is discovered with internationally banned cybernetic technology, the US government sends soldiers to penetrate the R.A.C.E. Network to try to find out what is going on. Having infiltrated in Japan, Vexille, a female US soldier, discovers Daiwa's chilling, dark secret. Director Funihiko Sori (who produced 2004's cel-shaded CGI anime, Appleseed) has used cel-shaded 3D motion-captured character animation to create a realistic and yet still traditional-looking animation style. After a shaky start, the animation finds its legs and delivers some beautifully rendered scenes. Vexille boldly paints a bleak portrait of a future Japan. It serves as a cautionary tale of how technology, unregulated and uncontrolled, could rob civilisation of its humanity. The narrative style is quite accessible to a wider audience, while still retaining some quirky Japanese charm. A great movie if you like Final Fantasy or are a sci-fi fan looking for something a bit different.