Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
In 2200, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner Carlos Rivera are hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On Mars, they descend deep into the underbelly of the planet's capital city where they uncover a darker story of brain farms, political corruption, and a missing girl who holds a secret about the robots that threatens to change the face of the universe.
Mars Express is a confident French cyberpunk noir that impresses most with its richly detailed, atmospheric animation — the neon-drenched Martian cityscape is genuinely striking and evocative, earning a strong cinematography mark. The plot competently weaves together classic noir tropes with sci-fi ideas (brain farms, android consciousness, corporate corruption) in ways that feel satisfying if not groundbreaking; it borrows heavily from Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner territory, keeping Novelty from climbing higher. Voice performances are solid and functional without being remarkable. The ending resolves its mysteries adequately but doesn't land with the weight its themes seem to promise, leaving a slightly underwhelming final impression. Overall a polished and enjoyable adult animation that earns its reputation without transcending its genre inspirations.