Am I in a good mood? Am I looking forward to the picture? What have I seen lately? What have I seen too much of? All of these variables (and more) come into play when I decide whether I’m having a good time at the movies, and any one of them could be a deal-breaker. However, when the stars align properly and a film catches me at just the right moment, strange things can occur. This is why, I believe, I can find myself enjoying an admittedly flawed film such as “Aeon Flux.”

Let’s just jump into it: “Aeon Flux” is predictable, formulaic, sci-fi soup. For what it’s worth, in the futuristic world of “Aeon Flux,” most of humanity has been wiped out by a mysterious plague. The disease survivors gather together in the last city on Earth, where they attempt to rebuild society. However, utopia is not all it’s cracked up to be; the populace is ruled by a band of shadowy autocrats who routinely exploit the citizens in the furtherance of their nefarious goals. Their only hope lies in a lone rebel who defies the system and strives for the true social liberation.

If this all seems a bit familiar, it should.  The plot summary I’ve just composed is nearly identical to one I wrote for “The Island” earlier this year. However variations of this formula can be found in nearly every sci-fi or fantasy adventure film of recent memory: “The Matrix,” “Star Wars,” “Underworld,” “Constantine.” “Akira,” and so on all utilize one theme or another from this plot. Let’s face it- it’s a formula because it works.  It’s easy to adapt to any situation, and it’s an idea that people want to see played out again and again.

At the very least, it was one I didn’t mind seeing again last weekend. For the record, I was in a pretty good mood at the time, having dined that evening at The Cheesecake Factory just prior to viewing this cheesecake film. And, I was anticipating the experience- at the very least I was hoping that the movie would contain a plotline and dialogue, two things usually absent from the Mtv cartoons on which the story was based. It did not disappoint.

Other strong points: Charlize Theron is convincing in the action star role of Aeon Flux (she would be the lone rebel I mentioned earlier).  Sure this is a film that could’ve starred any number of hot young starlets, but Theron was the right choice; she took an unemotional role like Aeon and made her intense, without becoming an automaton. Plus, if I may be superficial for a moment, Charlize + Aeon costume = Sexy. However, the most interesting performance of the film comes from Marton Csokas as the head authoritarian, Trevor Goodchild. While watching the movie, I got the impression that Csokas was somewhat pained by the inanity of much of the material, but also amused by it as well. His typical expression is a furled brow, tired eyes, and a wry half-smirk, which consistently brought to mind a hung-over Kevin Spacey. Picture that in your mind, and you have Trevor.

Besides those two performances there really isn’t much to report from the film. Karyn Kusama directs the film about as well as Kyle Orton QB’s the Bears each week- no big flashes of greatness, but no glaring mistakes either. Sure, the film is predictable (if anyone has yet to figure out Goodchild’s big secret, you may want to reconsider the film I alluded to before), but that’s not entirely her fault.  In fact the only people who may feel even slightly embarrassed by their contributions to the film are the writers, and Frances McDormand, who, as the leader of the resistance movement, has delivered her first really memorably goofy performance.

Should I feel distressed at having enjoyed this film though? Of course not. After all, movies can be escapist fun, even if what’s escaping is logic.

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