(REVIEW) “Fleur de Lis” is a sharp-witted and endearing animated hijinks-adventure sitcom with a Christian worldview and a controversial method it’s made: Utilizing synthetic intelligence.
Religion-based movies and TV exhibits should not recognized for his or her innovation. Between the working gag of faith-based knockoffs of secular content material (akin to “Revelation Highway” being a knockoff of “Mad Max”) and in any other case taking part in it pretty secure with its inspirational drama method (like this yr’s “Ordinary Angels” and “Unsung Hero”), there’s little to recommend to the common person who faith-based content material is pushing the boundaries of creativity.
However “Fleur de Lis” — a TV present on the faith-based streaming platform LOOR — is a uncommon exception on two fronts: Not solely is it modern with the story it tells, however the way it tells its story: utilizing developments in AI.
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The present is the eagerness venture of Ethan Hill, an Orthodox Christian programmer who made his personal online game and graphic novel of this property and characters earlier than deciding to remodel it as a TV present. The story follows husband and spouse Aaron and Enoki and their pals Mable (Aaron’s sister) and Scout. Enoki ropes all of them into wild schemes to attempt to earn cash to make ends meet of their small city in Louisiana. Alongside the best way, they encounter (and should struggle off) the satan, church-lady Qanon and grasping land builders, whereas generally by accident gaining superpowers.
“I’ve at all times needed to make a TV present, for one, and I’ve at all times been very artistic,” Hill mentioned. “However I by no means anticipated to have the ability to have the chance. And as a result of I am a software program engineer by day, that is my day job, I’ve a number of choices out there to me to precise that. So up to now I’ve labored on, I’ve made books, I’ve made video video games, and I developed a set of characters that went via a few these, that I slowly type of fine-tuned. And then when the time got here to make a TV present, I assumed, ‘Oh, properly I’ll create a plot that makes essentially the most sense for a tv setting, and I’ll embody some characters from some tasks I’ve labored on up to now.’”
LOOR is a becoming dwelling for “Fleur de Lis.” A faith-based streaming platform which describes itself as unashamedly making an attempt to create anti-woke Christian content material (usually describing itself as “primarily based religion movies”) and content material for the male 18-35 years outdated (usually ignored by faith-based movie studios), the platform itself is constructed on a quite modern enterprise mannequin. It really works like a daily subscription-based streaming service, however a portion of your cash every month goes to funding the content material the subscriber picks. This places extra of the ability of figuring out what motion pictures and exhibits get made within the palms of the subscribers.
“Fleur de Lis” has a refreshingly healthful mean-spiritedness to its humor – a cross between animated hits like “Rick and Morty” and “Phineas and Ferb.” Many exhibits that are harsh with their humor even have an underlying nihilism about life, and plenty of exhibits that are healthful — like faith-based content material — are fairly often afraid to get too merciless, and are due to this fact much less humorous. However in “Fleur de Lis,” the characters and the plots ruthlessly roast one another, and other people regularly get the tar overwhelmed out of them bodily and emotionally by life.
These jokes are sometimes actually, actually humorous in the best way that harsh jokes usually are. And but, all of this within the service of the characters in the end loving one another and wanting them to succeed. And as a lot because the present dumps on its characters, it at all times in the end validates their values of religion and household.
One other factor that makes this collection distinctive is the way it makes use of its Christian creativeness as the premise for the jokes and drama. Sometimes, religion movies will use jokes and drama as a thinly-veiled arrange for a lesson quite than an finish in and of themselves. In the meantime, secular exhibits will use their worldview because the arrange for the jokes and drama. However for “Fleur de Lis,” the purpose is the laughter and drama, however primarily based on a Christian understanding of the world. Probably the most specific instance of that is the episode “Allons a Crossroads,” the place Enoki makes a cope with the satan with chaotic outcomes primarily based on orthodox quite than secular interpretations of Lucifer.
Hill added: “it is very upsetting to me that a number of Christian artists consider that they’ve to decide on between sanitizing their work [and being authentic]. I’ll be sincere, to a number of the world, it rings horribly false, whenever you’re dwelling your life, and you must do a tough flip and say, ‘Oh, yeah, by the best way, this is this Gospel narrative I’ll tack onto it.’ It feels very compelled and acts in opposition to the first narrative, by suggesting that the Christian life is not one thing you may truly stroll, it is one thing you faux to do when you’re truly doing one thing else. And that is no good.”
The principle solid is straightforward, but deeply endearing within the custom of one of the best cartoon characters. Enoki is usually silly, however loving and properly which means. Aaron is passive, however accountable and might step up when vital. Mable is self-absorbed, however stage headed. And the present develops layers to the characters because the story goes on, akin to revealing the tragedy of Enoki’s household historical past within the season’s ultimate episode.
The present’s animation model — accomplished like scribbles like in “Diary of a Wimpy Child” and “Scott Pilgrim” — come to life and is each charming and under no circumstances a distraction. The style flexibility can also be a deal with, with one episode feeling like a straight up sitcom and the subsequent somebody will get superpowers and has to struggle off a conspiracy.
The present does undergo from a few of its limitations. It’s made by principally one man on a restricted funds, along with his pals as voice actors with a restricted variety of episodes. The voice appearing usually sounds stilted and even AI synthetic. This regularly ruins the timing of the jokes and creates a barrier between the viewers and the relatability of the characters.
The season’s shortness additionally retains us from having the time to actually get snug with the individuals and world. Reveals which are constructed round a narrative arc can afford to have a brief season, however ones constructed round wanting to return again every week to see outdated pals (akin to “The Workplace,” “Pals,” and “How I Met Your Mom”) actually need an extended season to essentially work.
Probably the most controversial facet of the present has, satirically, nothing to do with the present itself. It’s the truth that the present is made partly utilizing AI. The introduction of synthetic intelligence into the TV and movie business has terrified artists for worry it’s going to threaten their jobs in addition to take the soul out of the artwork.
Studios wanting to make use of AI to make motion pictures extra cheaply was an enormous a part of the current writers and actors strike — with actors and writers demanding protections from getting their jobs basically taken over by AI. The quantity of AI used doesn’t should be lots. “Late Evening With The Satan,” for instance, was lambasted by creatives on-line for utilizing AI in three brief still images.
Hill makes use of AI in minor methods to assist with issues like backgrounds and altering some voices. So issues about AI taking the “soul” out of artwork don’t actually apply. However Hill, for his half, argues that issues about “taking away jobs” utilizing AI are additionally misguided as a result of given his funds, with out AI, he wouldn’t be capable to make it in any respect.
No matter issues about AI, “Fleur de Lis” stays an entertaining present that’s price watching and supporting for individuals who need leisure primarily based deeply in a Christian creativeness who are also in regards to the content material being authentically dramatic and humorous.
“Fleur de Lis” is out there to stream solely on LOOR.TV.
Joseph Holmes is an award-nominated filmmaker and tradition critic dwelling in New York Metropolis. He’s co-host of the podcast “The Overthinkers” and its companion web site theoverthinkersjournal.world, the place he discusses artwork, tradition and religion along with his fellow overthinkers. His different work and phone information might be discovered at his web site josephholmesstudios.com.