A myth becomes reality for French animation

France has never been considered a bastion of film animation, but the country seems to be experiencing something of a New Wave of the form. Last year witnessed the release of the Oscar-nominated, critically acclaimed “Triplets of Belleville.” Friday, France’s first full-length 3-D-animated film, “”Kaena: The Prophecy,” opens in selected U.S. theaters.

Initially conceived as a video game, “Kaena” revolves around a mythical world called Axis, which exists in a forest whose inhabitants are on the verge of annihilation. It falls to a curvaceous, rebellious teenager named Kaena to save the day. Urged on by a mysterious force, Kaena defies the High Priest and sets out to discover what lies beyond Axis.

Director Chris Delaporte, who began his career as a graffiti artist in Paris, assembled a crew of video-game artists and computer graphics designers fresh out of art school to render “Kaena.”

The English-language version features a diverse cast: Kirsten Dunst is the voice of Kaena; the late Richard Harris is Opaz, a 600-year-old pacifist alien stranded on Axis; and Anjelica Huston is the Queen whose voice can cause massive destruction.

Production began on “Kaena” in late 2000; the film premiered last year in France. “Kaena” opened late last month in New York to reviews that were less enthusiastic than those for “Triplets of Belleville,” although some critics liked the animation. Mark Holcomb wrote in the Village Voice: “While uneven, the animation does offer a few dazzling set pieces, and spotting influences -- from sci-fi surrealist Richard M. Powers to H.R. Giger to Rankin-Bass -- should keep genre aficionados engaged.”