Ruin (2011)

Ruin-Oddball-2I was so giddy when the film ended on a “To Be Continued” note, because if Wes Ball plays it smart, he can have a series of amazing films on his hand that will tell a story piece by piece. I can definitely picture this series of short films garnering a massive cult following if Wes Ball were to pursue a series. But alas, I imagine what with the massive animation Bell and his company undertakes, we just have a short sequel coming up. And I can do with that.

Set in a post apocalyptic future, the Earth has essentially become a barren wasteland covered in weeds and vines where a human is not to be found. I was stunned by the opening shots of this film because I assumed the establishing scenes were shots of actual landscapes rendered on computers, but lo and behold, they’re computer animation! And what a series of shots they are, as they manage to be awe inducing and set the tone of the film perfectly. “Ruin” is an unabashedly cryptic short science fiction thriller that is first and foremost here to show us what Oddball Animation can do.

Clear and simple, Oddball Animation provide us with an absolutely incredible short filled with fantastic editing, brilliant direction, and amazing animation that sucked me in from minute one. And it helps that the accompanying score by Kevin Riepl only fills the screen with gut wrenching tension fit for any action buff. A masked stranger breaks in to a nanotechnology laboratory and crashes in to a safe where he uncovers coordinates and information for a lab in the outskirts of the land. Before he can acquire more information, he’s chased by a massive war ship that pursues him through the land as he escapes on motorcycle, and we follow what is a series of beautiful and compelling action sequences with some of the best computer graphics I’ve seen in years.

What it lacks in exposition and story it more than makes up for in mystery and action scenes in which our protagonist manages to display a cunning and clever use of handheld weapons as well as relying on the world around him to evade forces that want him dead no matter what the cost. I had a blast watching the thrills unfold, and I anxiously await the follow-up which promises to be even more epic in scale and excitement. “Ruin” has potential to be an epic science fiction tale with many dimensions and I hope director Wes Ball and Oddball Animation pursue it as a series. For a one and done action packed science fiction thrill ride, I highly suggest checking out “Ruin” as it’s packed to the brim with brilliant animation, engrossing action, and a killer protagonist I foresee many adventures coming to. Look for it.