 A film in three minutes, Mutants Chronicles. The year is 2707. Four giant corporations have plundered the Earth's resources, fighting an endless war for the scraps of humanity. But little do they know that something looks buried beneath their feet, something which converts the living into terrifying necromutants, spelling the end of the world itself. Sounds like stupendous science fiction nonsense, also known as Mutants Chronicles. A film filled to the brim with retro steampunk design and over-the-top gory action are plenty in this dystopian B-movie gem. Based on the paper and pen role-playing game of the same name, the story follows battle-hardened soldier Mitch Hunter, played by Thomas Jane, who is tasked with helping a holy monk from an ancient order, brother Samuel, played by Ron Perlman, lead a fighting force comprised of the four corporation's best soldiers to destroy the mutant threat. Directed by Simon Hunter and adapted for the screen by Philip Eisner, the writer of Event Horizon, you could be forgiven for dismissing the narrative's popcorn plot as nothing more than ridiculous sci-fi hoax. However, the strength of the film lies in just how gorgeously imagines the world of Chronicles is, despite the production's budgetary limitations. The diverse styles of differing technologies embodies a futuristic state of regression, where coal-powered engines are used for spacecraft and World War I-inspired uniforms denote each of the four corporation's armies, creating a distinctive look for the film that pays tribute to the classic science-fiction films of the 1920s and countless steampunk anime. Shot entirely on green screen using the then cutting-edge Viper camera system, the film's entire design was constructed in post-production, similar to other films released during the period, such as 2004's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, with the filming process eventually leading to over 2,000 visual effects shots being created, then a record for a motion picture filmed in the British Isles. The supporting cast is replete with recognisable actors such as Sean Pertwee, Beno Furman, John Malkovich, and Devon Aoki, who help elevate the B-movie genre limitations of the script and grant a small helping of unexpected Hollywood stardom to the proceedings. Ron Perlman choose the scenery as the zealous keeper of the Chronicle, whilst Thomas Jane gives a performance worthy of its own spin-off miniseries. But given the film's poor box office and cold critical reception, I doubt we'll see much more from the world Simon Hunter so lovingly crafted, which is a crying shame because this B-movie cult gem, while not perfect, proves that even the most ambitious of spectacles can be achieved on a small budget with a dedicated cast and stellar imagination, making mutant Chronicles, much like the hidden menace buried deep inside the Earth itself, worthy of being rediscovered.