Official Synopsis:
Writer and director Marjane Satrapi draws a poignant story about a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, when people's hope were dashed as fundamentalists took power.
  
Our Take:
Persepolis is a coming of age story like no other and an animated film like no other.  Persepolis completely transcends the medium of animation.  Unlike even the most advanced animated fare, Persepolis’ visual presentation is purely cinematic even if it is based on a graphic novel.  German Expressionism and Italian Neo-realism directly influence the images on the screen.  Seeing neo-realistic elements in an animated film is almost oxymoronic, but it works.  The cinematic complexity of the film is seen not only in the neo-realistic feel of the film and expressionistic design, but also in the inventive transitions. 

However, where Persepolis truly shines is in the story.  The story, which is part history lesson, part autobiographical, and part fairy tale, is wholly entertaining.  I had initially been expecting the tale of an Iranian immigrant trying to cope with life in a new country, but instead I was treated to a study of how one can have an immigrant experience in his or her own country that is just as powerful and confusing as one experienced abroad.  Like I said, there is a fairy tale element to this film and like all fairy tales there is a moral, which is simply that personal integrity is the most important thing in life.  It is an important message delivered by an equally important film.

Persepolis includes a number of extra features:

* The Hidden Side of Persepolis (30 minutes) – An in-depth making-of the film detailing how the animation was done.

* Behind the Scenes of Persepolis (8 minutes) – Focuses primarily on the English dubbing of the film.

* 2007 Cannes Film Festival Press Conference (30 minutes).

* Animated Scene Comparisons with Commentary by Marjane Satrapi – Four deleted scenes.

* Commentary on Select Scenes by Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud and Chiara Mastroianni – Three scenes.

Persepolis joins Ratatouille as two of the most inventive animated films made this decade.  This is not the type of animated film I grew up with, but Persepolis proves that animation is merely a tool, not a genre.  Persepolis tells a very human tale through a very inhuman form.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Overall Picture:
Movie: A

DVD: B
 
- Matthew Orlando
Staff Writer