In 2002, Kurt Wimmer made a notable contribution to science fiction cinema with Equilibrium, a film that masterfully blended serious dystopian themes with the "hip" action style of The Matrix. Four years later, he pushed the boundaries even further by infusing vampirism into the mix in his 2006 film Ultraviolet.
The plot is set in a mid-21st century world, where a government's top-secret biological experiment went catastrophically wrong, unleashing a virus that spread among the general population and resulted in a pandemic akin to vampirism. The infected, dubbed "hemophags," possess enhanced physical abilities, becoming stronger, more agile, and smarter than their healthy counterparts. However, their lifespans are significantly shorter. In response to this dire situation, humanity has granted unprecedented powers to an organisation known as the Ministry, which is tasked with hunting down, rounding up and eliminating the "hemophags." Consequently, these infected individuals have formed a resistance movement against the Ministry. Violet Jat Shariff (played by Milla Jovovich), one of the most skilled "hemophag" fighters, is entrusted with the mission to destroy the Ministry's superweapon. Upon arrival Violet discovers that the superweapon in question is not what it seems – but rather a young boy named Six (played by Cameron Bright). His origins are inexplicably linked to the enigmatic Vice Cardinal Ferdinand Daxus (played by Nick Chinlund), who helms the Ministry.
Wimmer was evidently attempting to differentiate Ultraviolet from Equilibrium, which led to some bold creative choices – unfortunately, not all of them were fortunate. One such choice was adopting the visual style of a comic book and Japanese anime, resulting in a vivid colour palette and hyper-violent action sequences that afforded Milla Jovovich, then already known for her roles as action heroines, ample opportunity to showcase her skills. However, this approach also yielded some lacklustre CGI that undermined any semblance of realism and seriousness the film could have achieved. Some scenes, particularly those set outdoors, are simply unappealing visually.
The script proved even more problematic, being generic and riddled with plot holes and inconsistencies in world-building. Jovovich delivered a competent performance as Violet, although her character's generic nature made it difficult for her to leave a lasting impression. Nick Chinlund excelled as the over-the-top villain, while William Fichtner brought dignity to his small role as a "hemophag" scientist.
Ultraviolet was savaged by critics and flopped at the box office. Nevertheless, its boldness found favour with certain segments of the audience, leading to popularity in Japan – enough so that it garnered an anime sequel series.
Some of the film's problems could be attributed to the meddling of Sony Pictures executives who insisted on certain scenes being cut in order to placate censors. A year later, a somewhat longer version was released for the Japanese video market, which improved the film but only marginally.
Ultimately, for those interested in exploring the boundaries of science fiction cinema, Ultraviolet remains a fascinating – albeit flawed – example of Wimmer's unique vision and stylistic flair.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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