Ash (Malgorzata Foremniak) is a "hot gamer chick," a battle-hardened warrior who strips down to her underwear and plays an immersive and illegal VR war game called Avalon in a cold concrete room. Her routine alternates between the "real" world of a drab and lonely apartment and the dangerous virtual terrain of the war-torn city of Avalon.

When Ash learns of a rumored mystery level to the game, she begins to explore the mystery surrounding it.  The quest for Avalon's hidden level takes Ash into a strange realm of possibilities. 

Avalon was created by the Japanese writer (Kazunori Itô) and director (Mamoru Oshii) of Ghost In The Shell. Oshii shot the movie in Poland with Polish-speaking actors, stating that it was impossible to film it in Japan and Poland's landscape best suited the look he was going for, a cold war apocalyptic setting.

As far as watchability goes, the pacing of Avalon is decidedly slower than most Western films. The color pallet is generally bleached of primary colors, utilizing an almost black and white or sepia-tone for the majority of the story. The dialogue is all in Polish.  It's all worth it though.

The movie demands viewers make up their own explanation for what is happening in a way that is clever and thought provoking. The visuals are loaded with symbolism. Recurring images, seeming incongruencies or inconsistencies and unexplained events make this movie a puzzle-box.

Avalon is one of the best and "truest" cyberpunk movies in both theme and setting.  Check out the trailer.  Track down the film.  Take some time to sit and absorb it, then make sure to put your interpretation of the ending in the comments below!

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[buy now from Amazon Canada]