# Ultraviolet (film)
**Ultraviolet** is a 2006 American science fiction action film written and directed by Kurt Wimmer and starring [Milla Jovovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/milla-jovovich) as Violet, an infected woman with enhanced abilities who protects a nine-year-old boy marked for death by the human government. Set in the late [21st century](https://www.edgepedia.org/21st-century), it depicts a looming civil war between normal humans and "hemophages", humans modified by a vampire-like disease called Hemophagia that grants enhanced speed, incredible stamina, and acute intelligence.[1](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/ultraviolet) [Screen Gems](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-gems) released the film theatrically in the United States on March 3, 2006, rated PG-13.[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131841025/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Kurt Wimmer, whose previous film was *Equilibrium* (2002)[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64088-ULTRAVIOLET) |
| Lead cast | Milla Jovovich as Violet, Cameron Bright as Six, Nick Chinlund as Daxus, William Fichtner as Garth[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64088-ULTRAVIOLET) |
| Release | March 3, 2006, wide, by Screen Gems; PG-13; 1 hr 28 min[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131841025/) |
| Budget | $30 million, fully financed by Screen Gems[4](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2006-3/ultraviolet/) |
| Box office | $18,535,812 domestic; $12,534,399 international; $31,070,211 worldwide[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131841025/) |
| Critical reception | 9% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 81 reviews; Metascore of 18 on Metacritic[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004504-ultraviolet) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ultraviolet/) |
| Filming | Shot in Shanghai, China; cinematography by Arthur Wong, music by Klaus Badelt[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370032) • [3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64088-ULTRAVIOLET) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and premise
The story takes place in the late 21st century, when a subculture of humans modified genetically by a vampire-like disease, Hemophagia, has emerged. Set apart from "normal" and "healthy" humans, the hemophages face a government campaign aimed at destroying the "diseased" population, pushing the world to the brink of worldwide civil war.[1](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/ultraviolet) Violet, a hemophage played by Jovovich, has lost her husband and her baby after being infected with the blood disease, and the infection has given her complex martial-arts skills.[8](https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/movies/article/you-might-want-to-shield-yourself-from-1197480.php)
**The boy.** In the middle of the conflict, Violet becomes the protector of a nine-year-old boy, Six ([Cameron Bright](https://www.edgepedia.org/cameron-bright)), whom the human government has marked for death because he is believed to be a threat to humans.[1](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/ultraviolet) According to the film's synopsis, the boy is thought to be carrying antigens that would destroy all hemophages.[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131841025/) The antagonist is Daxus ([Nick Chinlund](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-chinlund)), a germophobic government leader who has discovered a "cure" for the mutant strain in the form of a cloned boy.[8](https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/movies/article/you-might-want-to-shield-yourself-from-1197480.php) • [9](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ultraviolet) [William Fichtner](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-fichtner) plays Garth, and Sebastien Andrieu plays Nerva.[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64088-ULTRAVIOLET)
## Production
Sony's genre label Screen Gems acquired worldwide rights to the project in March 2003 as a vehicle for Milla Jovovich, signing her for the film in May 2003 after the success of *Resident Evil* (2002). Screen Gems fully financed the film for $30 million, and production began in early 2004.[4](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2006-3/ultraviolet/) Wimmer said he created the role of Violet with Jovovich in mind.[8](https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/movies/article/you-might-want-to-shield-yourself-from-1197480.php) The film was shot in Shanghai, China, with Hong Kong cinematographer Arthur Wong Ngok Tai behind the camera, William Yeh editing, Choo Sung Pong as production designer, and [Klaus Badelt](https://www.edgepedia.org/klaus-badelt) composing the score; the production company was Ultra-Vi Productions, Inc., with Sony Pictures Releasing handling distribution.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370032) • [3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64088-ULTRAVIOLET)
**Studio re-edit.** While the movie was in post-production, director Kurt Wimmer lost control of it, the studio cut a new edit, and its release was pushed back by more than a year.[4](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2006-3/ultraviolet/) The theatrical version runs 88 minutes, cut from Wimmer's roughly two-hour rough cut, and the released film went out with unfinished visual effects.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004504-ultraviolet) • [9](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ultraviolet) The re-edit added voice-over exposition from Violet about hemophagia and her personal story.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370032) An extended cut running about 94 minutes exists; Sony Pictures Japan released it on Blu-ray in Japan on August 20, 2008, with roughly seven minutes of added footage and a Jovovich commentary track.[10](https://www.sonypictures.jp/he/761358) Jovovich has said she disowned the film over how it was handled when studio executives forced Wimmer to remove more than 30 minutes of footage from the original cut.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370032)
## Release and box office
The film opened wide in the United States on March 3, 2006, in 2,558 theaters, grossing $9,064,880 on opening weekend, which was 48.9% of its eventual domestic total. It earned $18,535,812 domestically and $12,534,399 internationally, for a worldwide total of $31,070,211 against a $30 million production budget. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released it on video on June 27, 2006.[2](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131841025/) • [11](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ultraviolet) The film was not screened for critics before its opening.[8](https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/movies/article/you-might-want-to-shield-yourself-from-1197480.php)
## Reception
Critical response was strongly negative. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 9% Tomatometer from 81 reviews, with a critics consensus calling it "an incomprehensible and forgettable sci-fi thriller" that is "inept in every regard"; the audience Popcornmeter stands at 30% from more than 250,000 ratings.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004504-ultraviolet) Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 18 based on 19 critic reviews, categorized as overwhelming dislike, against a user score of 4.3.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ultraviolet/)
Reviewers repeatedly criticized the storytelling and the digital effects. The *Independent*'s Nicholas Barber wrote that the film opens with a five-minute voice-over that never establishes why the audience should care about Jovovich's character, and that every character and background had been digitally airbrushed until it looked like a computer game.[12](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/ultraviolet-15-6097232.html) The *Guardian*'s Peter Bradshaw called it "a sleek, stylish-looking, basically inert futuristic thriller".[13](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/jun/23/8) Empire's review described the narrative as disposed of in an "excruciating voiceover" and the CG as low-grade.[14](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ultraviolet-review/) Several critics noted the film's stated inspiration: Wimmer intended it as a futuristic, comic-book re-envisioning of [John Cassavetes](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-cassavetes)' 1980 film *[Gloria](https://www.edgepedia.org/gloria-1980-film)*, in which [Gena Rowlands](https://www.edgepedia.org/gena-rowlands) plays a woman protecting a young boy.[8](https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/movies/article/you-might-want-to-shield-yourself-from-1197480.php) • [15](https://www.villagevoice.com/ultraviolet/)
## Aftermath and reassessment
The film's failure shaped Wimmer's career. He later said that after *Ultraviolet* it became clear he had to separate his careers as writer and director, and he focused on writing for years before directing again.[16](https://www.slashfilm.com/1213519/children-of-the-corn-director-interview-kurt-wimmer-on-40-years-of-writing/) He also argued that box office expectations had changed since 2006: the film earned $4 million less than *Knock at the Cabin* at the same production cost, and *Knock at the Cabin* was considered a success, while "Ultraviolet" was not considered a success at the time, though he said people have grown to like it over time.[16](https://www.slashfilm.com/1213519/children-of-the-corn-director-interview-kurt-wimmer-on-40-years-of-writing/) Fans of Wimmer's earlier film *Equilibrium* have continued to call for the release of his full cut.[9](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ultraviolet)
## References
1. [ULTRAVIOLET, Sony Pictures Entertainment](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/ultraviolet)
2. [Ultraviolet, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131841025/)
3. [Ultraviolet (2006), AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64088-ULTRAVIOLET)
4. [Ultraviolet (2006): Box Office, Bomb Report](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2006-3/ultraviolet/)
5. [Ultraviolet, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004504-ultraviolet)
6. [Ultraviolet Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ultraviolet/)
7. [Ultraviolet (2006), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370032)
8. [You might want to shield yourself from 'Ultraviolet', Seattle Post-Intelligencer (AP), March 3, 2006](https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/movies/article/you-might-want-to-shield-yourself-from-1197480.php)
9. [Ultraviolet 2006, Time Out review by Nigel Floyd](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ultraviolet)
10. [ウルトラヴァイオレット (ULTRAVIOLET), Sony Pictures Japan](https://www.sonypictures.jp/he/761358)
11. [Ultraviolet (2006), The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Ultraviolet)
12. [Ultraviolet (15), The Independent, June 24, 2006](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/ultraviolet-15-6097232.html)
13. [Ultraviolet, The Guardian review by Peter Bradshaw, June 22, 2006](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/jun/23/8)
14. [Ultraviolet Review, Empire](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ultraviolet-review/)
15. ['Ultraviolet', The Village Voice, February 28, 2006](https://www.villagevoice.com/ultraviolet/)
16. [Children Of The Corn Director Interview: Kurt Wimmer On 40 Years Of Writing, SlashFilm](https://www.slashfilm.com/1213519/children-of-the-corn-director-interview-kurt-wimmer-on-40-years-of-writing/)
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