Vexille

It is the late 21st century, and no foreigner has set foot in Japan in a decade. Shielded from the eyes of the outside world by an electromagnetic shield, no one has any idea what has happened in the country since it withdrew from the UN because of international condemnation of Japan's melding of robotics and bio-technology. Japan's only remaining link to the global community is through the robots it exports from mega-corporation Daiwa Heavy Industries.

Tipped off to a mysterious meeting organized by Daiwa, a special forces unit named SWORD soon discovers a plot that may threaten the rest of humanity. Now, SWORD must penetrate the veil of secrecy surrounding Japan, and figure out what the country has done and planned in those missing years.

From director Sori, who was visual effects director for the 2004 version of Appleseed, with a soundtrack by Paul Oakenfold, Vexille is a stylish, visually appealing blend of anime and CGI. With some elements of Philip K. Dick, an intriguing near-future universe is created for the story, which provides a foundation for this look at what it means to be human.

The film isn't perfect, though: parts of the ending would seem to belong more to a James Bond movie, there could be a bit more depth to the story and characters, and the animation could be a bit more convincing in some of the emotive scenes. Still, Vexille is an exciting ride that at least takes some time to ask bigger questions.

Tags: 2007,films