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Chapter 1: Introduction
 “When her family is killed by government agents, Aeon Flux is eager to take revenge; but, before she can complete her mission, she uncovers secrets that change everything,” says Charlize Theron, who portrays the title character in the new film “Aeon Flux.”As the top operative in an underground rebellion against the dictatorial leaders of Bregna - a walled future city - everything Aeon knows is challenged when she receives her latest assignment: the assassination of Trevor Goodchild, ruler of Bregna.
“This is the mission she has been waiting for her entire life,” says producer Gale Anne Hurd, who previously produced the sci-fi classics “The Terminator,” “Aliens,” and “The Abyss.”
According to Hurd, Aeon Flux is the only agent who can perform such a mission. “Aeon is able to do things that others can't - she is the best on every possible level - but what she discovers shakes her beliefs about how the world operates.”
“Aeon is ruthless - all she cares about is the mission,” says Theron. “She gave up the idea of a normal life long ago - she is a professional killer. As far as she's concerned, she's on the planet for one reason: to avenge the murder of her family.”
Producer David Gale, who is also Executive Vice President of MTV Films, agrees that “Aeon Flux” will live up to expectations of the fans of the series while also being accessible to new viewers. “It's very rare to have such a smart, strong female character that isn't your typical two dimensional action hero. Karyn, Charlize, Phil and Matt have brought a unique and exciting vision to the screen that's true to Peter Chung's original concept and incorporates many of the original and groundbreaking ideas that were so memorable in the series.”
“Aeon Flux” began life as a series of animated short films on MTV's “Liquid Television.” These shorts gave the filmmakers ample inspiration to bring the unique character to life. “The animated Aeon Flux is a provocative, sexy, and acrobatic character - and she isn't bound by the laws of man or nature,” Hurd says. “Our challenge was to pay homage to that, to live up to the high bar the series set, while also grounding her in the world that an actress - one of Charlize's talent and considerable flexibility - could play. Aeon is iconic - there's no doubt about that - and it was thrilling to present a living action heroine unlike any other.”
“I think what really distinguishes Aeon from a lot of other women in the genre is that she has so much free will; she's so self-determining,” says director Karyn Kusama, who previously helmed the indie hit “Girlfight.” “The story of `Aeon Flux' grapples with some of the provocative themes that often inhabit science fiction, and it was important that she read as a complex and morally ambiguous character. Her sexuality, for instance, is just one element of that; very powerful and ultimately unapologetic.”
In her first action-heroine role, Theron called upon her unique skills as a ballet dancer to bring the character to life. “I was a ballerina for 12 years - it took me that long to figure out why I loved ballet so much. It wasn't because I liked the technical aspect of it; I liked to get on stage and tell a story. For years, I did that, just using my body. For me, the physical aspect is as important as any line of dialogue.”
“No one else could have played the role,” says Kusama. “We needed someone who had an incredible physical grace and strength, but not an over-muscular kind of strength. Charlize fit perfectly.”
“Charlize made the stunt work an integral part of the character,” says Hurd. “Her incredible physicality, due to her training as a dancer, let her create a performance from beginning to end, not only in the dramatic scenes, but in almost every moment of action that you see in the film.”
Steeped in the tradition of sci-fi action, “Aeon Flux” presents a future world where nothing is what it seems. Aeon's assignment is to assassinate Trevor Goodchild, the leader of Bregna, a seemingly utopian future society with no disease, no hunger, and no war. “When you think of sci-fi, you think of a grimy, dirty, overpopulated future - a world in decay.
That's not the case in `Aeon Flux' - Bregna looks perfect,” adds Hurd. “We created imagery that was perfect to look at. Only later do we reveal that it contains the perfect lie.”
“Aeon Flux” began life as an animated series created by Peter Chung as part of MTV's “Liquid Television.” In 1991, “Aeon Flux” debuted as a series of six two-to-three-minute short films, then reappeared in 1992 with five more three-to-five-minute shorts. In 1995, MTV aired ten 30-minute animated episodes.
“I'd always wanted to do animation for adults,” says Chung. “I'd seen a lot of animation from Japan and I'd seen a lot of graphic novels from Europe. They were sophisticated in their storytelling; they weren't about good vs. evil, heroes vs. villains. Those were my main influences as I tried to create something people hadn't seen before. Aeon isn't a crime fighter; she isn't a government agent. She's not a hero in the classical sense. Instead, she's a force for personal freedom.”
“I wanted to take the elements that Peter Chung created for Aeon and celebrate them as much as possible - physically, where we could, but also who she is,” says Theron. “Aeon is a very strong woman, quite a free-thinker, who questions the things happening in the society she lives in. She thinks that this one mission will change her life, but as it turns out, she has to make some tough decisions.”
Chung is thrilled to see Theron bring his vision come to life. “It's very exciting to see something I worked on such a long time ago to be given a new lease on life and introduced to a whole new audience,” he says.
Bringing this vision to the screen is director Karyn Kusama, who previously directed “Girlfight,” the critical hit starring Michelle Rodriguez as a young Latina woman using her fists in a fight for personal dignity. “Girlfight” took the 2000 Sundance Film Festival by storm, sharing the Grand Jury Prize at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival and winning the Directing Award in Dramatic Competition. Kusama was also nominated for a 2000 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.
Though “Aeon Flux” marks Kusama's first foray into science fiction, Hurd says that Kusama was just the person to bring this story to the screen. “It's a perfect combination of material and director,” says Hurd. “In many ways, `Girlfight' was the perfect calling card for this film, because, like Aeon Flux, the character that Michelle Rodriguez brought to life is tough, uncompromising, and larger than life.”
 Next Page: Chapter 2: The Mission |
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