Ed's Review Dot Com

New Artists Alliance,

Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, Ben Feldman, Dane Cook, Tom Cavanagh, Grant Bowler, Sally Pressman, Fernanda Romero, Dominic Bogart

As this movie begins, the base commander is holding a press conference to explain a 400 day mission that a select group of astronauts are about undertake in a buried mock up of a space ship underground. To assess the effects of being trapped in a tiny cylinder simulating deep space with no chance to get out, the group sets out to complete the mission. But it’s a difficult mental and physical experience and it brings a number of surprises. To fully test the crew a series of surprise tests is thrown at them in the way of mock failures and they are tested on their ability to cope and solve solutions sometimes without the help of mission control. But when they suddenly lose connection with the outside, tension grows as they wonder if this is really a test, or is it something much more catastrophic.

This, like any concept film, has its lovers and its haters. I really enjoyed the film, but did not get sucked into the tale, but took it much more cerebral in thinking about the effects of what they were portraying. The haters hate this movie because it offers no resolution, and I don’t mean a cliff-hanger ending. What I mean is that we’re not told what really happened. There are major issues between some of the characters that could be just a dream, or just mental health issues, or it could be a simulation for real, and the ending could have happened or been an elaborate setup. Expecting a resolution you get none, and you have to think your way through it. I think I know what I believe, but I’m not sure that I am right, but I have worked my way through the film, and appreciate the attempt to make this open ended and to allow you to interpret. There have been a few good films like this. Now, I must admit, usually I hate movies that don’t have a point, and just end. Sometimes it drives me crazy. But this time I found it much better that it allowed you to figure out what you will. It presents what it shows, and no interpretation follows. There is a lot of clues, such as the very ending frames of the picture, but those can be interpreted a number of different ways. The haters blame the writer and director for being lazy and not resolving the film, or give us enough clues to know what he intended. But perhaps these folks are being lazy in waiting for someone to tell them a story with a nice surprise ending that wraps it all up. To be honest I enjoyed the experience of not knowing what it really was. I also enjoyed reading the 3 or 4 or more major theories on what it all means. It’s an interactive movie that you have homework to do after it’s over. The story is not in the actors, nor is it in the presentation or the dialog. It’s not in the sets. It’s all there for you to absorb, but the point of the story is in your mind, and there’s time for you to work it out after it’s over. I’m ready to watch this one again.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Red & Black Films,

Toby Stephens, Caity Lotz, Denis Lawson, Sam Hazeldine, Lee Nicholas Harris, Sule Rimi, Stuart Matthews, Helen Griffin, Ben McGregor, Pooneh Hajimohammadi

Two Artificial Intelligence scientists come together to create the first fully self aware artificial intelligence. Vincent (Toby Stephens) wants to develop it to save his daughter who is suffering from an illness. But he can’t get the financial backing he needs except from the military. Meanwhile, the officials at the Ministry of Defense find Ava (Caity Lotz) and recognize her skills so they bring them together. The create this artificial intelligence and implant it in a nearly indestructible body, but the MoD steals their work and turns it into a killing machine.

This movie is a conundrum. One one side, it’s really hard to follow, even though it’s predictable as all movies of this genre are (evil military trying to take over a peaceful scientist’s work). What I mean is that the dialog is somewhat hard to understand. But on the other hand, it’s a rather decent throwback science fiction film like those of decades past. I wasn’t bored with the film, and I wasn’t blown away with it. I suspect that anyone who is a fan of real science fiction will like the story, but for the mainstream, this is a little to niche to work for most people. I am not a sci-fi fanatic, but I did spend my youth in the 60’s and 70’s with dozens of books from Azimov, Bradbury, Clarke, and other great sci-fi writers. This is also a bit allegoric, as it doesn’t really have to pertain to the robot, but more about mankind’s dysfunctional way of not being able to get along. Greed, jealousy, and search for power is bad, and hopeful, scientific curiosity is good. Well, we’ve heard that before. The acting isn’t great. None of the characters are that memorable, but the story itself is the key. So if you’re a sci-fi fan, you’ll probably enjoy it. Otherwise, maybe not so much.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog