What do you get when you cross a French graphic novelist with a Japanese anime studio? It’s not a trick question. You get a beautiful shitshow of mixed mythologies that includes The Bible (both Old Testament and New), The Torah, The Apocrypha, Aztec theology, Hiphop and LatinX Urban Legend and Masked Mexican Luchadors as post-apocalyptic Maccabees.

Yah, I thought I’d go a little lighter given my recent viewing fare, but animating doesn’t always make it lighter. Anything more would give away too much, but suffice to say it’s a classic film theme of love vs. hate and what makes us human and worth saving, despite any personal risks, gains or losses. It’s all about staying human… no, let me amend that. Like everything else I’ve been watching it’s all about finding out what it means to be human and becoming that even if it doesn’t look anything like what you thought it meant before.

It’s about saving a planet that’s been occupied by forces of hatred, greed and selfishness that have left us with abject poverty, inequality, sectarian violence and global warming.

“When it comes to negative energy, this planet’s resources are truly inexhaustible.” ~ Mister K

“Feeding on hatred leaves such a bitter taste.” ~ Luna

“Abandon your humanity and become who you were always meant to be.” ~ Mr. Macchabee

Those are a few salient pull-quotes that establish MFKZ as traveling the same highway as any other apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic films. It’s visually stunning. It’s a cartoon but not for kids, not young ones anyway. It’s a message. It’s about staying hopeful that love and loyalty and friendship can prevail.

Nice stuff. You can Google it to find out more. I’d say just watch it. It’s not like you’ve got anything better to do.