Immortal - Television Tropes & Idioms

Humans, mutants, of New York or elsewhere, say no to synthetic flesh and virtual brain. Say no to Eugenics.

— Spirit of Nikopol

Immortal (original French title: Immortel (ad vitam)) is a 2004 Science Fiction / Fantasy film directed by Enki Bilal, loosely based on his Nikopol Trilogy series of comic books (specifically, the albums "The Carnival of Immortals" and "The Woman Trap").

It is the year 2095, New York City is a dystopian metropolis ruled by corrupt politicians controlled by a powerful corporation. The population consists of mutants, aliens and cybernetically/genetically enchanced humans, who are segregated by levels (with the humans on top).

One day, a mysterious hovering pyramid appears over the cityscape, a vessel for the Egyptian gods who are about to condemn their fellow, Horus, to eternal prison for rebellion. Before his sentence is carried out, he is given seven days to look upon his creation.

Meanwhile, equally strange events unfold in the city: Central Park is encased by a barrier of unknown origin dubbed "The Intrusion Zone"; Jill, a blue-haired, white-skinned woman with abnormal physiology and supernatural powers is captured in the lower district by the Eugenics Corporation; a mauled police inspector investigates the gory murders of a new serial killer and a mechanical failure enables Nikopol, a political dissident sentenced to 30 years of hibernation to escape from prison a year early.

It's almost like some Greek tragedy, all the pieces slowly coming together.

Do not, for the love of Horus, confuse with My Immortal

This movie contains examples of:

An Arm and a Leg: "I gained a year, but I lost a leg. FUCK!"
Ancient Egyptian Eyebeams: Who knew the God of the Heavens had these!
Animal Nemesis: Inspector Froebe has had a grudge against the Dayak ever since it bit half of his face off.
Artificial Limbs: Horus crafts a new leg for Nikopol out of a piece of railway.
Berserk Button: Do NOT mistake Horus for Anubis.
Big Applesauce: Talk about big!
Big Badass Bird of Prey: Horus in his bird form.
Bittersweet Ending
Bilingual Bonus: Jill reciting a snippet of Baudelaire's "The Poison" in french.
Blood Knight: The Dayak.
Body Surf: The bodies of the inhabitants of New York are too heavily mutated and modified to survive being Horus' hosts for long, so he is forced to jump from one to another every few hours.
Compelling Voice: Horus.
Cultural Translation: Originally taking place in Paris, it was moved to New York for the movie.
Double Standard Rape: Divine on Mortal: Well, only Horus thinks it's OK. Everyone else calls him out on it.
Enfant Terrible: Horus Jr.
Even the Doctor Wants Her
Everything's Better with Penguins: Seen hanging around the Intrusion Zone in Central Park.
The Exotic Detective: Inspector Froebe *heel click*.
Fish Out of Temporal Water: Nikopol, which is why he's a suitable host.
Flying Cars
Flying Seafood Special: The Dayak, who looks like a red hammerhead sharktopus, can hover.
Forbidden Zone: The Intrusion Zone in Central Park.
Hot Pursuit: On rails!!
Human Popsicle: The way GLOBUS 1 keeps its prisoners.
Intangible Man: The Egyptian Gods.
Klingon Promotion: Vote for Ling!
Laser-Guided Amnesia: Both John and Horus do this to Jill.
Last of His Kind: The Dayak.
Living MacGuffin: Jill Bioskop.
Madness Mantra: Nikopol recites Bauderlaire while defrosting.
Mechanical Monster: The artificial Dayak.
Mega Corp: The Eugenics Corporation.
Mentor Ship: Jill and John.
No Body Left Behind: After John dies, his body disappears, leaving only the clothes and black bandages he was wrapped in.
Only One Name: Nikopol, John.
- In the comic book, Nikopol's first name is Alcide
Personal Mook: The Dayak.
Physical Gods: The Egyptian gods
Powers via Possession: The only way Nikopol can lift that iron leg of his. Before departing from Earth, Horus grants him the ability to use the leg permanently.
Rape Is Love: Averted. Even though Jill ends up falling for Nikopol, she knows it was Horus who was raping her and never stops calling him "The Rapist".
Shark Man: One of the scientists that captured Jill is a red-skinned man/hammerhead hybrid.
Shout Out: Nikopol asking for a shot of ''Tarkovskai'' vodka at the Tycho Brahe Bar.
- A woman with prominent facial surgery is seen in a clinic early in the film. Viewers may recognise her from Terry Gilliam's Brazil.
Swiss Army Tears: Averted. Jill's tears are only good for permanently staining human skin blue.
The Faceless: John.
Urban Segregation: "Non-humans" all live in the lower levels.
Used Future
Voice Of The Resistance: The Spirit of Nikopol.
Voluntary Shapeshifting: Horus can not only switch from animal-headed humanoid to full eagle form, but can also alter his host's body as seen when Nikopol's multi-story fall is stopped by his arms turning into wings.
You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Apparently it's one of the defining characteristics of Jill's species, along with blue nipples.