Æon Flux is a sci-fi fiction movie by Karyn Kusama based on the 1991 series that goes by the same name. The film is a refreshing break from regular sci-fi fantasies because of the way the story unfolds. What is particularly remarkable about this movie is its unforgettable sets. Here, architecture takes the limelight. It is a must-watch for every architect and designer.
Most parts of the film are filmed in modernist built forms of Berlin. A few of these enthralling sets include buildings like Tierheim Animal Shelter, Haus der Kulturen der Welt art center, Treptow Crematorium, Windkanal Wind Tunnel, etc. All of which are scintillating modernist marvels.
The Plot | Æon Flux
The movie is set in the year 2415. 400 years after a deadly industrial virus had wiped 99% of the population, leaving only a few people alive. The only person who helped them stay alive was a scientist named Trevor Goodchild, who in the present context has become the dictator of the surviving clan. A fortified town that goes by the name of Bregna is the only place the residents know and are allowed to be.
This mysterious town is more of a gilded cage where people often go missing. Few even suffer stifling attacks leading to seeing visuals that never took place. A group of rebels suspects these cryptic events and team up to end the leader, Goodchild. This group of Monicans assign the task of taking him down to their best member, Aeon played by Charlize Theron.
Aeon, the protagonist had only this one goal until the police murdered her sister. She then disobeys the orders of the Monican handler and confronts the instructable sphere of life in this fortified town. The plot unfolds with Aeon and Trevor teaming up to end everything wrong with the place.
Cyberpunk-Styled Dystopia
Like every other sci-fi fantasy, this movie too follows the cyberpunk dystopian theme. High-tech-based architecture plays a pivotal role in this movie. Walls transforming into screens, and information popping up in thin air are a few ways it exhibits cues of this style. Less humane spaces that look austere and rugged make the sets for most scenes of this movie.
Sometimes dark and mystifying and other times intimate settings perfectly symbolize the post-apocalyptic yet hopeful world. The cyberpunk theme doesn’t translate into the obvious wild forms or skyscrapers per se , instead, it plays along a theme of futuristic utopia.
Futuristic Utopia | Æon Flux
The architecture of the movie depicts its futuristic approach with the use of modernist structures. The utopian setting endorses extravagant spaces with the austere expression of form and material. This theme translates into all the buildings with different functions creating this holistic fortified town.
If one has to scrutinize the architecture of the public and private buildings shown in the movie, the key binding element would be the use of the same material palette. Exposed concrete built forms following rhythmic patterns of elements repeated for added emphasis are evident.
A few of the spaces are tech-savvy yet modernist at the same time. The use of white light to depict the futuristic approach is a common thread throughout the movie. A contrasting theme is followed, with the use of light against dark spaces, for added emphasis or focus. This theme also translates into the costumes of the protagonist who is seen wearing white in the dark and black during the day.
The sheltered community mostly resides in civil-styled homes with softer vibrant and feminine interiors. The interiors of the main civic building, that is the Goodchild residence have luxe and cozy wood-based interiors. Minimalism is the staple in most of these brutalist modern spaces.
The Drama of Monumentality and Light
The modernist architecture in Aeon flux is monumental. Massive scale with bulky elements repeated rhythmically is seen in all the structures shown in the movie. A few of the forms are sculptural, whereas the others are military-like.
The use of light against the monumental sculptural forms makes for striking visuals that facilitate the mysterious dystopian appeal of the movie. The simplistic expression of form and material alongside the natural dimension of light is a stark expression of a less human, more machine-centric futuristic world.
Structured Landscapes
One cannot miss the peculiarity of the structured landscapes depicted in the movie. The astonishing maze-like topiary gardens shown in the first few minutes, symbolize the suspicious events of the town. Whereas, the almost fortified patches of greens surrounding the primary Goodchild residence have a militarized appearance depicting political power. These structured landscapes prove how meticulously every set of the movie has been planned to create the desired impact.
Final Thoughts | Æon Flux
The sets of the movie function phenomenally to deliver the scenes with the desired impact and support the movie plot admirably. However, the futuristic world imagined in the movie seems a little dated considering the fact that it is set in 2415. If one has to imagine what the world would look like in 2415, technology will be the main character.
The world then will probably have more screens, automated gadgets, and machines blended into the architectural fabric. The scale might perhaps be more human-centric and less monumental, unlike what it is in the movie. The spaces might be more fluid and less rigid. With the advancements in construction technology, it might be possible to have sculptural multifunctional spaces.
References:
- Daniel Portilla. “Films & Architecture: “Æon Flux”” 10 Jul 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed 24 Sep 2022. <https://www.archdaily.com/252858/films-architecture-aeon-flux>
- Borden, D., 2022. Save berlin: Scenes from a revolution. Exberliner. Available at: https://www.exberliner.com/film/scenes-from-a-revolution/ [Accessed September 24, 2022].
- Anon. Daily Icon RSS. Available at: https://www.dailyicon.net/2009/10/aeon-flux-location-berlin/ [Accessed September 24, 2022].
- Anon, 1970. Aeon Flux: Architecture in film. An Urban Village. Available at: https://anurbanvillage.blogspot.com/2013/06/aeon-flux-architecture-in-film.html [Accessed September 24, 2022].
- Lethbridge, T., 2021. Why the 2005 Aeon Flux Movie Bombed: What went wrong. ScreenRant. Available at: https://screenrant.com/aeon-flux-2005-movie-bombed-why-what-went-wrong/ [Accessed September 24, 2022].
- Anon, The architecture of Aeon Flux. BUILD Blog. Available at: https://blog.buildllc.com/2007/09/the-architecture-of-aeon-flux/ [Accessed September 24, 2022].
- Glancey, J., 2018. Imagining the unknown: How filmmakers create future worlds. CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/filmmakers-future-worlds/index.html [Accessed September 27, 2022].
