I have long been a proponent of the Internet as a distribution outlet for films. It’s a tough business, and you’ll never get anyone to pay for it, unless you’re making foot fetish videos in the Pacific rim. Otherwise, online movies will always be an exhibition for promotion and interest rather than for profit.

Having worked on one of the pioneering sites for Internet video distribution (7mpictures.com, which has since moved more into the commentary realm rather than presenting online films), I realize that this business of online movies doesn’t necessarily make money.

However, there have been some notable series that have debuted on the Internet. These series were far more innovative and professional than the goofy short films I used to make on 7mpictures.com. That’s probably why these other series have gone on to DVD releases while the 7M films have languished online.

Some of these series include “The Animatrix” and even “Star Wars: Clone Wars,” which were released online following their premier on the Cartoon Network. The best ones have been animated, probably because the micro-screen format of online video lends itself to animation better than filmed product.

“Broken Saints” is one of those milestones in online movies. Original set up as short segments, about ten or fifteen minutes apiece, “Broken Saints” grew to an impressive 24-episode run with final episode becoming full films in themselves rather than short vignettes.

“Broken Saints” takes a graphic novel and animates it unlike anything I’ve seen before. Instead of just presenting still images online, the filmmakers use Flash technology to give things life. However, instead of looking like a cheesy JibJab movie, “Broken Saints” is slick and stylized. It’s one of the more unique ways of bringing the comic book medium to life.

The story follows three people from different parts of the world who share an apocalyptic vision. Throughout the series, they are drawn together, their fates intertwining with that of the world.. There’s a global conspiracy they must uncover and a need to reveal the truth behind the danger ahead.

In addition to using clips, cutouts and words in bubbles from the comic book medium, “Broken Saints” also relies heavily on the influences of anime. It also draws heavily from the tone and spirit of the cyberpunk writings from the 1980s and 1990s.

I’ve never been a big fan of cyberpunk, even when I was in college. While I enjoyed feature films like “Blade Runner” and “The Matrix” which had a strong cyberpunk feeling, I never got into the writing. It just seemed thick and convoluted to me. Even the masters like William Gibson and Bruce Sterling were hard for me to grasp.

Maybe it’s because I’m just a dummy from Ohio who prefers his stories spoon fed to him. Whatever the case, I tend to fall outside of the cyberpunk fan camp.

Ultimately, “Broken Saints” feels very much like a cyberpunk story. I will take it on assumption that this series captures the essence of cyberpunk because I had similar problems following the story and fully understanding what’s going on. But hey, maybe someone smarter than me will like it.

The “Broken Saints” DVD include newly animated footage and a bevy of special features, including a commentary over the complete series by the creators and multiple behind-the-scenes featurettes, documentaries, interviews, fan films and easter eggs.



Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Widescreen (1.66:1), enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Spanish and French subtitles. English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.