Years ago Enki Bilal wrote and drew a graphical novel La Foire aux immortels, which then became a first part of his Nikopol trilogy. In this tale the ancient Egyptian gods return to earth so that Horus (Thomas M. Pollard) can spend his last days in the world he created. But he has an ulterior motive: he wants to impregnate a blue haired, blue tears weeping woman Jill, who herself isn't aware of what she really is. Jill (Linda Hardy) is a woman, who can reproduce with higher beings.

Nikopol (Thomas Kretschmann) is a prisoner convicted into cryofreeze, who escapes because of an accident jettisons his capsule from a prison ship. He looses his leg, but Horus finds Nicopol to be a perfect host from himself, as most of the humans have been genetically altered beyond humanity, so Horus builds him an iron leg in order to be able to uses his body for his own needs.

Visually speaking Immortel is interesting looking movie. Most of the characters are CGI and they've been made to look like the original drawings of Bilal. But as the movie is quite old in the age of CGI these computer generated people stand out like a shore thumb when on the screen despite there's no real humans in the same scene. The difference is even more present when there's real actors. But what works relatively well are the futuristic New York landscapes with flying cars and holographic commercials.

As a movie Immortel is far more easy to comprehend than the graphical novel it's based on and that isn't a bad thing. Bilal has clearly wanted to make something similar but different from his own work, but sadly enough the end result is a bit of a hit and miss.

Enki Bilal's film version of his excellent comic from more than 20 years ago, is a more coherrent and better structured story than what we read in the graphic novels.

The same images are here, in the film, as in the comic. That's very good, and works well. Some scenes are almost taken directly from the comic, as when Horus help Nikopol for the first time in the subway.

The world is more detailed in the film and the story is now more tightly spun around Jill, Horus and Jill's friend John - plus of course Nikopol who serve as the spider in this web.

Many here complain over the computer animations. Especially when it comes to some of the cast. I can only say that it is was a sad decision to create the senator and his two friends as computer animations, since live actors would probably been a wiser decision. It had helped the movie flow a little bit more, and we hadn't been so hung up on that they actually were computer animated. However, after a while, it works and we don't care too much about it. They have so little screen time anyway.

Horus is also animated, but since he's a God, it doesn't matter. And he's better done too. All the other animations are just splendid and work wonders for this graphical and visually stunning film.

Immortel is a very nice film with a better story than I thought. I was expecting a difficult and completely un-logical version of the comic - since I've read the reviews - but what we have here is actually a nice and very good movie, told beautifully.

If you haven't read the graphic novels, I suggest you find a copy or two and read them. They are a good introduction to this weird sci-fi world, and it is probably easier to understand the overall theme if you have read them. However, don't get disappointed when some story elements don't show up in the film. (I especially missed the hockey-game!)

I sincerely hope that Enki Bilal makes more movies like this one, or even a sequel. I would really like to know what happens next... Enki Bilal's mind is beautiful - and this film will be a classic within a few decades. For now, it's just a little bit too before its time to be taken the way it should. But soon, people will discover it and see the nice little details that lay inside the world of future New York.

I give it a 7 of 10. I would have given it higher if it wasn't for some bad animations and that I didn't like the way they plotted the sharp-teethed alien that I never remember the name of. :-)