Jennifer Reviews: Mortal Engines
“Mortal Engines” is a futuristic look at what the world will become once all of its natural resources have been used. Without the planet being able to provide anything new or of use, humans have resorted to entire cities that move on continuous track, or other sorts of wheels, and survive by consuming and pilfering other cities for their resources and inhabitants. The city of London is one of the largest of these cities that eagerly consumes smaller cities with the elite citizens of London rooting and cheering on the consumption of these smaller cities. The elite citizens of London are reminiscent of the citizens of the Capitol of Panem in “The Hunger Games”. Flawless and impeccable in appearance, but cold of heart and lacking empathy for these smaller cities.
The prominent character of “Mortal Engines” is Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar), a young woman with a ghastly scar on her face who is out for vengeance against Thaddeus Valentine (Hugo Weaving) who murdered her mother and, while trying to murder Hester, gave her the scar. While Hester was able to get close enough to Thaddeus to stab him, she was thwarted from killing him by Tom Nastworthy (Robert Sheehan) who stepped in to stop her. Hester ran and was followed by Tom until she came to a dead end at the waste chute. Hester jumps into the chute, but Tom is able to stop her from escaping by grabbing her hand. Hester breaks free from Tom’s grasp and escapes through the waste chute but, Tom is soon to join her as Thaddeus overhears Hester tell Tom that he had murdered her mother and scarred her, so Thaddeus pushes Tom into the waste chute as well. The waste chute dumps Hester and Tom into the Great Hunting Ground. This is where people outside of the cities have learned to survive by either hiding underground or traveling in other forms transportation. Hester and Tom are caught by slave sellers but, before they are sold, are rescued by Anna Fang (Jihae). Anna is the biggest bad-ass, sword-wielding, aircraft flying, and hotter-than-hot Anti-Traction League member. The Anti-Traction League works against London and its threat to consume all within its path.
Another prominent character is Shrike. Shrike was a soldier who was turned into an unborn assassin with the Stalkers (reminiscent of the Terminator) who saved Hester after her mother died and raised her to adulthood. Shrike, even though predominately a machine, loved Hester and made her promise to become like him one day. Valentine found and released Shrike to hunt down Hester to either have her make due on her promise or to kill her. After a fight Shrike, while dying, releases Hester from her promise.
Hester, Tom, and Anna head to London to take out MEDUSA, a powerful weapon at Thaddeus’ hands that can destroy cities and cut through the Shield Wall that protects where the Anti-Traction League live with other groups of people in peace. Anna fights with and is killed by Thaddeus, but Hester is able to use a crash drive, found in her necklace by Tom that her mother gave her, and Thaddeus’ plan to use MEDUSA to access the Shield Wall are stopped. Thaddeus decides to ram the city of London into the wall but, again, he is stopped this time by Tom and Thaddeus’ daughter, Katherine (Leila George), who use Anna’s aircraft Jenny Haniver to destroy London’s engine. Thaddeus’ tries to escape in his own aircraft, but is shot down by Tom, crashes, and is run over by London.
The movie ends on a high note for all of us romantics as Hester and Tom have fallen in love and head off in the Jenny Haniver to travel the world together.
Though Mortal Engines might not have had the most in-depth plot, the action and amazing visual effects in this movie make it worthwhile. Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, and Hugo Weaving all gave spectacular performances portraying their characters. These performances alone made this movie worth seeing but, combined with the visual effects, this is a movie everyone in the family will find something enjoyable. I’m ready to go see it again!
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