Oh Aeon, I no longer know you

How can I broach this subject without sounding like a geek? I don't think it's possible so I'll just say it: Aeon Flux, the movie, is just a shadow of "Aeon Flux", the animated series.

Ten years ago, Peter Chung created an animated series for adults about Aeon Flux, an amoral secret agent whose love interest and nemesis were one and the same, politician Trevor Goodchild. Plot lines and motives were never clear and Aeon Flux died more than once, but the intrigue, paranoia, violence and sexuality were consistent characteristics of the series.

Ten years later, Hollywood has been mining comic books and the like for ideas. It's easy to see how highly marketable Aeon Flux is; a hot female assassin in a skimpy outfit. But Hollywood appears to have done away with just about everything else that made Aeon Flux different. Admittedly, I base all my malcontent on the trailer so I might well be eating humble pie by next week. For now, I rant.

• Charlize Theron is beautiful and statuesque but her pale skin and the vulnerable expression on her face kill the character. Charlize apparently drew the line on wearing Aeon's skimpy, binding thongs with thigh-high boots. So, now Aeon Flux wears full body leotards...like a mime...a deadly mime. All the better to hide Aeon's tanned and sinewy muscles.
• Trevor Goodchild has also undergone a transformation. Whereas his pale appearance once highlighted him as Aeon's rival and balance, the new version of Trevor Goodchild looks like a European accountant - stylish but boring.
• Aeon now claims to be a rebel who "fights in the name of the disappearred."It used to be that Aeon's motives were unclear since she was one of the priviledged in a restrictive society and a shitdisturber at the same time. To claim she fought for the oppressed is like forcing Aeon to wear Mother Theresa's sari.
• Aeon Flux laments with lines like, "I had a life once, now all I have is a mission." In the original series, she seemed pretty happy with her life, whether she was lying around in a skimpy outfit with Trevor Goodchild or trying to kill Trevor. I guess appearances are deceiving.

There have been no press screenings of Aeon Flux, which is usually considered a bad sign in the industry. If I ever get a chance to see Aeon Flux, I'll be sure to write a brief review.

One final note: originally, Aeon Flux was to be portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez, seen in character on the left. The hair looks a little limp but the outfit is definitely correct. Rodriguez's hard edge is probably closer to the character than Charlize Theron's soft touch as well.

Before finding out this little bit of trivia, my friends and I had brainstormed about the best person for Aeon Flux. Weirdly enough, Rodriguez's name had come up, but only as a runner-up to Angelina Jolie. Sadly, having wasted herself as Lara Croft, two cartoon characters may be one too many for Jolie.