We continue our series of reviews chronicling all of the (non-Studio Ghibli) animated films distributed by GKIDS Films — some of the most original and breathtakingly beautiful animated films from around the world — and how they hold up for a young American audience.

The entire retrospective is found here, and this time we’ve got…

MFKZ (2018):
Guillaume “Run” Renard & Shojiro Nishimi, directors

What’s it about?

MFKZ centers on Angelino (Lino) and his best friend Vinz (who’s a skeleton with a burning head) as they tempt, race, and only sometimes escape the perils of Dark Meat City (DMC). Lino works as a pizza delivery guy until he’s distracted one day by a young woman and gets hit by a truck. The resulting head trauma causes more than just headaches; he starts having visions. Visions of certain people’s shadows as if they were tentacled monsters… which they actually are.

We soon learn that Lino is a prize sought by a shadowy cabal of men in black who will stop at nothing to harness his power – the power to identify aliens and monsters in disguise among us. Because DMC isn’t just populated by down-on-their-luck twentysomethings and dangerous street gangs.

Indeed, Lino and Vinz suddenly find themselves at the center of an ongoing war between an alien race known as the Macho (bent on invading and colonizing Earth), their monster soldiers, and a Luchador army (sworn to protect Earth).

What are the cultures at play? And how about the languages?

The film is based on French artist (and codirector) “Run” Renard’s comic book series Mutafukaz (hence the title MFKZ). As of this writing, only the first book in that series has been translated and released in English. It was also a coproduction between French Ankama Animations and Japanese animation house Studio 4°C, the people behind The Animatrix, Batman: Gotham Knight, Genius Party, Mind Game, and plenty more.

The setting, though, feels vaguely familiar. It’s set in a lawless “New California” that feels a little post-apocalyptic (yet still distressingly plausible). With a little suspension of disbelief (to manage the sci-fi elements of the story), there should be no cultural barrier to understanding.

I usually recommend watching films in the original language – and MFKZ was originally released in France with a French cast – but I think I’d have to recommend the English dub here. The two protagonists – Lino and Vinz – are Black. And most of the people they encounter are people of color.

The French cast, as far as I can tell, is all White. By contrast, the English dub features Kenn Michael and Vince Staples in the main roles, with a supporting cast that includes Giancarlo Esposito, RZA, Danny Trejo, Dascha Polanco, Jorge Gutierrez, and Michael Chiklis.

I watched MFKZ on Netflix (which only has the English dub), and I honestly  didn’t miss the original French audio at all.

Will my kids like it? Is there anything objectionable for young kids?

Don’t let the GKIDS label fool you. Let me be very clear: this movie is in no way appropriate for young kids. It’s rated R, and it very much earns that rating. It’s violent, bloody, and full of “adult” language.

Will I like it?

I’ll admit, this was a rough watch for me in the current climate. Watching Lino and Vinz race through the city, pursued by police and other “authority” figures and get involved in multiple shootouts and riots… it all hit a little close to home. Especially since they, despite their heavily stylized appearances, are coded as Black and all those police and authority figures present as White.

Yes, the film makes a statement on these power struggles, but watching what is essentially police brutality against two naive innocents is more than a little uncomfortable to watch right now.

Despite the discomfort I felt, which I recognize is probably the point, I enjoyed the film. I’m not sure I’d race to watch it again, but I’d certainly recommend it, and it certainly has me intrigued about the source material.

How can I see it?

GKIDS and Universal released a Blu-ray edition of the film that has a making-of featurette and trailers. Included is both the French and English audio tracks, making this one of the only ways you can get your hands on the original French audio if that’s what you’re looking for. The film is also available digitally from most retailers (and is currently on Netflix, which is probably the easiest option), but only iTunes specifically indicates that the French audio track is included.

Final word?

MFKZ is an acquired taste. Don’t go into this expecting something like Studio Ghibli… or really, many of GKIDS’s other releases. It’s dark, gritty, violent, and very “adult.” Nevertheless, it’s exceptionally well done and still – somehow – manages to end with a note of optimism.

If you’re scrolling Netflix for something unexpected and somewhat offbeat, then you certainly won’t be disappointed in MFKZ.