By Malice Intended

The idea that animation is just for kids is one that has persisted since the inception of the medium.  The increasing popularity of Japanese anime notwithstanding, the general public prefers cartoons that are suitable for family audiences.  Many see the inclusion of such elements to be an attempt at appeasing a rabid generation of man children who long to see their childish hobbies legitimized in some way.

Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic is a spin off of the controversial Electronic Arts video game Dante’s Inferno.  The game is loosely based on Inferno, the first book of the epic poem The Divine Comedy.  The film chronicles the exploits of Dante (Graham McTavish), a Knight who has returned from the Crusades in hopes of reuniting with Beatrice (voiced by Vanessa Branch).  Upon returning home he discovers Beatrice and her family have been savagely murdered.  Aided by the poet Virgil, he embarks on a perilous quest through the 9 circles of Hell to rescue the kidnapped soul of his lady love.

Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic functions as both a feature length advertisement for the game on which it’s based and a stand alone animated Adventure/Horror tale.  It is not a faithful adaptation of the poem, nor does it intend to be.  Its ambitions are far from lofty as the material is handled in fairly exploitive and base manner.  The end result, however, is undeniable in its effectiveness.

Director Victor Crook and his team at Film Roman (aided by six animation studios) are able to do a lot with very little.  The production design is imaginatively nightmarish and freakish.  Though the frame rates are deceptively low, the animators find skillful ways to distract from that fact.  The action set pieces are fast moving but not so much that you can’t comprehend the action.  The set design is inventive as each circle of hell has its own distinct look that ties in with the appropriate theme.

The plot itself is structured just like a video game in that each set piece exists solely to give the hero another monster to confront.  This could easily get tiresome, but again, the character and creature designs are endlessly fascinating.  They don’t adhere to any one theme.  Some creatures are bipedal.  Some are giant behemoths.  Some are tiny minions that shuffle about in zombie-like fashion.  The constant bombardment of imagery successfully recreates the feel of an intense video game.

The voice acting is perfectly suited to the material.  Graham McTavish prattles of ponderous dialogue in the grandiose manner of a stage actor.  This is appropriate as Dante is a larger then life hero in the classic sense.  Vanessa Branch is the consummate damsel in distress.  These are hardly the most complex characterizations one could hope for, but they manage to get the viewer involved in an adventure serial sense.  The many horrible fates that await Beatrice are so ghastly that you find yourself wrapped up in the soap opera style melodramatics despite your better judgment.

Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic is, in its own way, one of the more religiously insensitive animated films ever.  It toys with Christian folklore and images of Hellish torments with reckless abandon.  Those who have never been exposed to “adult” animation will find the level of violence and nudity quite shocking.  While it doesn’t quite reach the level of the Hentai or “Tentacle Rape” varieties of Anime, it could still be overwhelming for more sensitive viewers.

If there is one flaw, it’s that Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic, sets up intriguing themes and inner conflicts that it is not remotely interested in dealing with.  Perhaps that is as it should be.  The film is clearly meant to be a visceral thrill ride, not a serious iteration of a literary classic.  It asks only that you let go and enjoy the ride.

Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic is one of the most refreshingly straight forward pieces of animated exploitation style storytelling in quite some time.  Relentlessly violent and shameless in its use of shocking images, it’s a fascinating piece of sensory overload.  Gamers and non gamers alike will find a lot to enjoy and even admire.

Out of 5

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