October 2nd, 2018 
Jackson Murphy 
On Thursday October 11th and Tuesday October 16th, in select theaters nationwide, Fathom Events is screening the new, English-language version of the animated film “MFKZ”. GKIDS, the distribution studio behind ten Best Animated Feature Oscar nominees since 2009 (including “My Life as a Zucchini” and “The Breadwinner”), acquired “MFKZ” in July, with hopes it can be the studio’s awards season contender this year.
“MFKZ” is an R-rated crime/action/adventure based on the comic “Mutafukaz”. The film is the result of a collaboration between French entertainment company Ankama Animations and hip Japanese animation house Studio 4°C. Ankama Associate Producer Frederic Puech said in a statement, “We have known the team at GKIDS for some time, and we are thrilled that ‘MFKZ’ marks our first partnership. We look forward to supporting the team in bringing the film to North American audiences.”
“MFKZ” is about three friends: Angelino, Vinz, and Willy, who are distinctly different from the humans that live in rough, futuristic Dark Meat City, which is located in New California. Following a motorbike accident, Angelino starts having visions (including flashbacks to a tragic event from his youth). Soon he’s being hunted down by agents because of special qualities he didn’t know he had.
Director Guillaume ‘Run’ Renard was heavily influenced by the city of Los Angeles. “‘MFKZ’ is, in its own way, a stirring tribute to this challenging city,” said Renard. “I love the dynamism coming from L.A: its history, its atmosphere, its multiculturalism…The city’s graphic identity, with its tall palm trees and wide streets, have always thoroughly fascinated me. And like all little French kids who grew up in the 80s, I was raised on American movies and television shows. This scenery, in fact, has always seemed very familiar to me. So it was only natural for me to create L.A.’s evil twin, which allowed me to explore all of the fantasies that the city inspires in me.”
“The city is a condensed exaggeration of Los Angeles’ varied strengths and weaknesses, where the main characters, three orphan losers, live. They are all very different from one another, and they don’t belong to any particular community. Since the trio is so out of phase with the world around them, we end up identifying with them. Like Los Angeles, the city is a global city, and the neighborhoods that make it up reflect the diversity of the Earth’s inhabitants. The citizens live in the constant fear of an imminent cataclysm, but here, it is more of a supernatural threat than a physical one, like the so-called Big One.”
About 10 minutes into “MFKZ”, I realized I was in for a wild ride. First of all, this film is strictly Adults Only, due to its profanity-packed dialogue, non-stop violence and overall gritty tone. In addition, “MFKZ” features a wild blend of at least five or six different genres. Amazingly, everything works together to create an unforgettable anime experience.
The animation is inventive. The graphic, video game-style violence is at times shocking (including a heck of a car/ice cream truck chase). And the themes and commentary on political corruption, global warming and the struggle to survive in a cruel world all come through load and clear. The voice cast for this English-language dubbing includes big and small screen tough guys Michael Chiklis, Danny Trejo and Giancarlo Esposito, as well as rapper RZA. The soundtrack is a standout – one of the best of the year.
To see the most innovative and challenging animated movie of 2018, or any other recent year for that matter, visit the “MFKZ” page at FathomEvents.com for theater locations and ticket info.
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