Mars et Avril
2012 / 90m - Canada
Fantasy, Sci-fi
3.0*/5.0*
Mars and April poster

Watches

August 01, 2020

3.0*/5.0*

Interesting and unique little film. It's rare to find smaller films that try to blend sci-fi and fantasy. They require hefty budgets to do well, plus they require the necessary creativity to craft a world that is both futuristic and fantastical. Mars and April is based on a graphic novel, so luckily the source material was already there.

Martin Villeneuve does his best to make it a very visual experience, and succeeds surprisingly well. The world looks interesting, designs translate well to the big screen and even though the CG isn't always top-notch, the illusion of a fully fledged fantasy world is there. That's quite the accomplishment.

Sadly the rest of the film can't match the visuals. The music is disappointing, performances are rather weak and the dialogue feels forced and uncomfortable. Not sure how much of this is taken from the novels, but even though the fantasy world looks great it's just not a very fun and inviting place to spend time in. Worth a watch, but lacks the finesse to be truly great.