Franklyn

Posted on February 24, 2009 at 11:05 am by lkeddie | Permalink

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Released 27th February 2009

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Faith can be described as: “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (New King James Version of the Bible). As a film about faith - or lack of it, you must have a lot of faith to see writer/director Gerald McMorrow’s new fantasy thriller, Franklyn, through to the bitter, grim end, as there is little evidence of what it’s really all about to begin with. But, arguably, that’s its appeal - as long as you don’t become disinterested in the meantime. However convoluted it may appear in parts, it is an intelligent and intriguing story concept that becomes more apparent, the more you delve deeper in the mysteries surrounding its four troubled main characters: a vigilante from ‘Meanwhile City’; a beautiful, suicidal art student; a jilted-at-the-alter groom; and a religious father desperately searching for his missing son. And there is revelation in the end as the parallel universes merge into one feasible explanation - however incomplete it may be. The film is certainly one of the most unusual seen this year - so far…

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An attractive feature of the production design of Meanwhile City is the dominating and compelling references to an uncertain time in history, the Industrial Revolution, with its gloomy but enterprising times, and the sinister, old-style Peel bobbies that work for the Ministry in this film. Faith was very much in danger in this period as people moved, en masse, to the cities to work, meaning the Church had less local control of the working classes. McMorrow’s script emphasises these uncertain times with its colourful array of street merchants, peddlers and speakers, as well as the Ministry’s desperate attempt to flush out people with no faith - including vigilante John Preest (Ryan Phillippe).

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On the other parallel plane is an equally gloomy, rainy London that appears to have lost all hope, where the other three complex characters and lost souls live. The most captivating - and really the only one of any interest - is the dramatic and desperate art student Emilia, played the hauntingly beautiful, ex-Bond girl, Eva Green. It is through her character’s outlook and in the final showdown with Preest that reality blurs with fantasy, where London blurs with the looming skyline of Meanwhile City. All four characters are linked by fate and by the choices they make at certain moments, which is what draws you into the narrative to find out how? Apart from Green’s engaging performance, the other leads, including Phillippe are fairly unremarkable, but strong enough to hold your attention.

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Franklyn is a difficult and unsettling film to describe in a nutshell to the uninitiated, without giving away the punchline. But it has enough intrigue, suspense and visual wonderment to keep its momentum flowing and its mystery alive - even if, at times, there are too many elaborate twists that are in danger of losing the interest of the most eager audience member. What is does do quite effectively is suggest that we all address our own faith - whatever that may be - in present, uncertain times. This is a sobering thought for a film that is described as an ‘urban fairy tale’. Still, aren’t fairy tales the best and ’safest’ places for questioning all elements of life’s ambiguities?

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By Lisa Keddie

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Synopsis

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Four lost souls, divided by two parallel worlds–one contemporary London the other a future metropolis ruled by religious fervor–on course for an explosive collision when a single bullet will decide all their fates.

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Film Facts

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Official UK site: http://www.franklynthemovie.co.uk/

UK Release Date: 27th February 2009

Director: Gerald McMorrow

Writer: Gerald McMorrow

Cast: Ryan Phillippe (’Preest’), Eva Green (’Emilia’), Sam Riley (’Milo’), Susannah York, Art Malik, Mark Wingett (’Frank Grant’), Gary Pillai (’Doctor’), Bernard Hill (’Esser’), Jay Fuller (’Monk’)