Review – Vexille [Part 1]

 I’ve recently watched thi movie, Vexille (produced by the creators of AppleSeed). What’s my view? Great graphic good character development, unique power suits and overall entertaining. Below is the plot. Take note that the plot was taken and edited from Wikipedia  so the credit’s goes to the many author of Wiki world. My Comments are in Part 2 of the review which will be up soon (when I’m free).

Plot Overview – The Isolation 

By the 2060s, robotics technology has advanced to the point that cybernetics has become plausible. World opinion begins to turn against robotics, leading to the UN declaring a unilateral ban on further research and development in 2067. Japan, being home to robotics pioneer Daiwa Heavy Industries, in protest, withdraws from international politics. All foreigners are deported and immigration is prohibited. In addition, the RACE network is constructed – a series of 270 off-shore installations that cover Japan with an energy field that distorts electromagnetic spectrum, nullifying all communication between Japan and the outside world and making even satellite surveillance impossible. Trade continues, but for all intents and purposes, Japan vanishes from the world scene.

2077: The movie started off with representatives arriving for with a secret meeting on the night of Christmas Eve. In the meeting, representatives are hurrying the meeting so that they may head home for Christmas. After the host of the meeting, Saito makes his opening speech, it is shown that all representatives have collapsed from taking the wine offered to them.

 

The American technology police agency “SWORD”, who receives a tip-off of the meeting arrive to arrest Saito and the representatives suspected of developing UN banned technologies. However, Saito managed to escape with the assistance of a military plane that crashes thru the building but not before cutting off his leg where a veteran agent, Vexille managed to cling on to during the escape.

 

The incident lead SWORD to believe that Japan has used the RACE network to conceal extensive development of banned technologies as scans on Saito’s leg indicates that he may be an android. The revelation prompted Zack, another veteran agent to mention about a similar encounter with an android in San Pedro. Zack, in flashback told Vexille later that the tip-off was received in his last mission where they rescue a Japanese fugitive, who turned out to be an android before he died.

 

Under the orders of Captain Borg, SWORD embarks on an unapproved scheme to infiltrate Japan and determine the distortion frequency of the RACE network, enabling SWORD to gather intelligence on the country. Although the agents successfully enter Japan, they are detected by security forces before they can finish transmitting the distortion frequency. Being the only one with a backup transmitter, Vexille is the sole SWORD agent to evade capture, and only Leon, her lover survives to be taken to Daiwa’s HQ while the remaining agents were killed in action.

 

Plot Overview – Revelation and Destruction

 

Vexille awakens without her powered armor suit to find that Tokyo is now a shanty town ruled by Daiwa. A small resistance movement that opposes Daiwa uses Vexille’s backup transmitter to successfully transmit the distortion frequency. Maria, head of the resistance, details the ten years of secrecy while SWORD studies the Japanese archipelago in shocked horror – the islands are nothing but a wasteland devoid of life.

 

In 2067, an unknown disease struck the Japanese populace and was immediately countered by an experimental vaccine. In truth, the disease – or more precisely the “vaccine” – was merely an excuse for Daiwa to begin mass testing of an experimental nanotechnology. Every Japanese citizen was thus converted into a form of synthetic life. Like any experimental technology, there were unforeseen side effects.

 

The conversion is imperfect, ultimately resulting in the infected humans entirely losing their free will and becoming merely lifelike machines. In addition, some of the nanotech went amok, resulting in the creation of “Jags”, giant whirling constructs of semi sentient metal that prowls the wilderness like metallic sandworms. The Jags have destroyed all of Japan save part of Tokyo, which is protected by an inedible wall of ceramic in which those who still have their free will struggled to retain the remaining fragments of their humanity.

 

The Resistance plans to draw the Jags along the service bridge during an earthquake to Daiwa’s HQ, which now stands in the middle of Tokyo Bay. Despite a tense moment when she witness Maria killing one of the child rebels who unfortunately loses his humanity at the wrong time in the Resistance’s hideout, Vexille volunteers her assistance in this effort.

 

However, though Vexille and Maria succeed in drawing the Jags to the end of the service bridge, the bridge has been detached further than expected from the headquarters, the Jags, who are unable to jump that far, falls into the sea, and Vexille and Maria are captured.

 

The two rebels are taken to Kisaragi, the master of Daiwa, who boasts that his research is nearly complete and compares himself to God for finding the secret to immortality. As he needs more test subjects, he is going to invade America to get them. Vexille attacks him with a hidden knife, revealing that his is still human – he has not used the process himself due to its shortcomings. Saito, his henchman, angered by the revelation and betrayal strangles him.

 

At this point, the town council opens the ceramic gates, enabling the Jag to enter and destroy Tokyo and use the primary cargo bridge to enter Daiwa’s HQ. Kisaragi, having somehow survived, attacks Saito and escapes with his research. Fortunately, the underling decides to release Vexille and Maria before succumbing to his wounds.

 

Vexille pursues Kisaragi while Maria frees Leon. The lover’s reunion is a poignant one, as though he did not abandon her as she always assumed, he has moved on – his concern for Vexille is evident. Thus when Vexille prevents Kisaragi’s escape in a helicopter, Maria grapples him and smiles as her cybernetic body draws a Jag to devour them both. Vexille and Leon are rescued by a SWORD helicopter just as Daiwa headquarters collapses into the bay.

 

As Vexille and Leon are flown from a now completely lifeless Japan, Vexille comments that true immortality can be found simply by encouraging others to embrace life.