To Your Last Death Review: One of the Most Amazingly-Realised Animation Films of Recent Years

Receiving its World Premiere at the London Frightfest 2019, which is celebrating its 20^th Anniversary, TO YOUR LAST DEATH is a brand-new 2D hand-drawn Animated film that will be of interest to those who loved the likes of AKIRA, Manga and the award-winning PERSEPOLIS.

Directed by Jason Axinn from a screenplay by Tanya Klein and Jim Cirile, this mix of Horror, Noir and Sci-Fi tells of Miriam DeKalb (Dani Lennon) a social activist who is invited with her three siblings, Ethan (Damien C. Haas), Collin (Benjamin Siemon) and Kelsy (Florence Hattigan) to seemingly reconcile with their billionaire father, Cyrus (Ray Wise) at his plush Trump-esque office block.

Cyrus was a contender at one point to be Vice-President of the USA, but circumstances changed all manner of things, notably Miriam’s own stubborn beliefs.

However, this is only a ruse for Cyrus to corner them and make them atone for their sins and his own vicious disappointment at what they have turned out to be. All are sentenced to death, but Miriam finds a way to escape. However, her escape plan changes when she becomes confronted with an entity known as ‘The Gamemaster’ (Morena Baccarin), who offers her a second chance to confront her father – and perhaps salvage her own respect and self-confidence…

Encompassing elements of DIE HARD, EDGE OF TOMORROW, THE MATRIX and SAW, TO YOUR LAST DEATH is one of the most amazingly-realised animation films of recent years, certainly one of the best of 2019. Uncompromising in its graphic violence and innovation, whilst maintaining the spirit of its key influences as mentioned earlier.

The voice talent behind this film, which took years of hard hand-drawn efforts and the work of people in thirteen countries across the globe, is also impressive, with a bonus of William Shatner’s assured, measured tones bringing a soothingly dark tone to the proceedings in his narration scattered throughout the film’s ninety-one minute running time.

Although the concept of an alternate reality and universe is a well-trodden one in the 21^st Century, given that it turns up in films like the Marvel blockbusters, there is some imaginative inventiveness here which at least gives it more depth alongside other examples that utilise this plot point and skill.

Additionally, a chainsaw gets a look-in here and the presence of Chop Top himself from THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, Bill Moseley, whose menacingly dark vocal talent is one of the stand-outs here as a character called Pavel – and adds to the weird and wonderful charm to TO YOUR LAST DEATH.

A proper adult graphic treat and one that will be talked about for years to come.

You can keep up to date with the movie via the following social media channels: website, Facebook, Twitter and via the official IMDB page. 

Please follow and like us: