Mortal Engines is the big-budget live-action steampunk movie fans of that subgenre have always wanted, complete with stunning visuals and top-notch world-building. Christian Rivers makes his directorial debut after working in visual effects with frequent collaborators (and co-writers and co-producers) Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens and delivers the kind of ambitious blockbuster we haven’t seen in years.
Mortal Engines is so eager to show you what it’s got, that the film starts while the Universal logo is still on screen, as we see purple-hued bombs that start going off in various locations on the famous globe on the logo. Visually and scale-wise, this is an oversized Fury Road on steroids. Based on the novels by Philip Reeve, we start with two literal cities chasing each other, spitting up smoke and dirt as the wheeled monstrosities make their slow way across a vast and desolated European countryside. London shoots massive harpoons at the smaller city, while teeny tiny trees are decimated beneath the giant wheels of the metropolis. As if the visual connections to the Wasteland of Max Rockatansky weren’t enough, I wouldn’t blame you for expecting to see Furiosa after listening to Junkie XL’s grandiose score here.
Source: IGN.com Mortal Engines Review