Robots have long been the go-to metaphor for artificial life taking over humanity. Recent developments in artificial intelligence and automated services have made this metaphor more focused and therefore more urgent. In fact, given the nature of artificial intelligence and the way information is copied and reproduced, robots have become even more tragic figures. They are often seen as something that new technologies are giving up in order to more sophisticated expressions of progress and efficiency. Mark Russellof Not all robots A perfect example of this is the way old robots lament the rise of newer, shinier automatons, while humans feel increasingly irrelevant in the face of it.
Jeremy Perrincyberpunk neo-noir animation Mars Express Sure, it addresses the role of robots in a race that has nothing to do with humans, but it dares to look beyond robots to the scarier possibility of technology’s evolutionary process fully recycling to something closer to organic materials. The result is a cautionary tale that doesn’t skimp on action to drive home the point. In fact, it embraces it and turns it into a sign of existential superiority, potentially eradicating the status quo and wiping out humanity once and for all.
Mars Express It follows a detective named Aline Ruby and her robot partner Carlos Rivera as they investigate the disappearance of Jun Chow, a cybernetics student who was Bring jailbroken robots (free them from programmed routines and instructions). Like any good old-fashioned film noir, new or not, more powerful interests are circling in the background, dispatching goons to make the detective’s case harder to solve. In classic cyberpunk fashion, these interests revolve around a large corporation invested in maintaining a foothold in technological advancement.
Erin is the typical jaded detective we’ve come to expect in noir stories, someone who has the weight of the world on her shoulders and therefore has a distinctly cynical view of things. However, this perspective introduces more wrinkles as she works on the case alongside Carlos, a robotic replica of her partner who died five years ago.
Carlos’ consciousness exists in an artificial body that displays an accurately rendered hologram of his head. His memory lives on, bringing with it the desire to continue living the life he left behind. Robots are no longer entirely artificial here. Human consciences could be transferred to artificial bodies, radically changing our relationship with death. Irene seems to be aware of this, and her views on it affect her approach to Zhou Jun’s case.
At some point, the noir detective can’t just stick to his corner of the world and watch the world continue to spin on its own crooked axis, succumbing to morally fractured conspiracies. She had to spin with it. Otherwise, she risks becoming outdated and useless in her role.
The animation conveys this very well. The visuals are clean and smooth, giving the environments an artificial sheen, based on the idea that primitiveness is a sign of progress and perfection. For example, the character designs freely incorporate body modifications, but they are cleverly combined so they don’t make the humans look like robots. It’s an important detail that heightens the film’s exploration of how technology can imitate reality to the point where it’s nearly impossible to distinguish it from artifice.
Mars Express It also proudly wears its influences on its sleeves, especially when it comes to its well-choreographed action scenes. some of which are reminiscent of Terminator 2: Judgment Daywhile others appear to be directly derived from Ghost in the Shell. now they Do They stand out on their own because of their intentions. These sequences draw attention to the potential dangers of mods and how they can erode the balance between humans and robots. If anyone were 100% human, there was no way they could survive in this version of the future.
the future Mars Express It means that technology is very much like ouroboros, a snake that eats its own tail. However, this particular snake reshapes and renews what it eats. The more you consume, the stronger it becomes. Director Jeremy Palin successfully conveys this with rich imagination. Mars Express It’s a visually striking film, stunning even. You have to appreciate it when you see humanity sowing the seeds of its own destruction.
