Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

The world has been destroyed and re-imagined, societies stay on the move out in the wastelands and nobody can truly be trusted – in this world; if you hear London calling… I wouldn’t pick up.

London is on the hunt once more, but what the mass moving city doesn’t anticipate as it absorbs a small mining traction city, is the scarred assassin on-board. Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar) has her eye on the prize when she takes a stab at killing prominent London Official Thaddeus Valentine (Hugo Weaving).

Unexpectedly Hester’s plans go awry when Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan) a low class historian gets in the way. Tom doesn’t expect his involvement will propel him into a journey across the wastelands. His mind is slowly opened when he learns what goes on outside of the city he was born and raised in, alongside a girl with a chip on her shoulder and a vendetta to match.

Tom and Hester eventually see eye to eye when they learn of what Thaddeus threatens to unleash which will spell trouble for the entire world – what’s left of it.

This movie had a fantastic opening that really allowed the audience to get an idea of what it was to be a “tractionist” with a Mad Max-esqe chase scene to boot. A sweeping shot of “London” ending with the movie title “Mortal Engine” captured the essence of the  movie without the need of one of those plug-in explanation scenes.

Whilst sat watching the movie I was attentive to the plot, the characters, the history and the general awe inspired and stylistic shots that is born of a dystopian world.

There was an interesting mix of actors in the movie which I enjoyed, it gave me a chance to appreciate some new/lesser known talent instead of the same mix of actors/actresses that you could connect within three movies or less.

In all honesty there’s only one major issue I found with this movie, and funnily enough it doesn’t settle in until after it’s over.

Retrospectively you were left with quite a number of questions and the more I thought on them, I soon realised the whole movie was an illusion – a pretty damn good one but held together with smoke and mirrors nevertheless.

Plot points were hollow – time fillers without adding too much to the story as a whole. Things would suddenly happen and then be over without any really explanation or relevance.

It’s a little funny (but not funny at all) when you realise that the side characters weren’t made of any substance. Their function was mainly to point the main characters in certain directions – or to provide side stories with no real function e.g; Bevis Pod – the low level engineer and Katherine Valentine – Thaddeus’ daughter’s storyline, and even the whole anti-faction movement – both pointless.

I really can’t say if this will get a sequel. The book series the movie is based on The Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (which I haven’t read) is in fact a quartet. Either way if there is another movie I can’t see myself paying to see it.

But don’t quote me on that.