#1 ·
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1374992/
Watched a movie today with a really interesting concept. It mostly stays on that premise. I'm not sure if I'd fully recommend it because it isn't for everyone. People who can ignore some logic gaps might enjoy it. The visuals are truly phenomenal.
The film is innovative on several levels, but unfortunately, it doesn't all make the most of it.
It’s a romance with sci-fi elements, kind of like Inception, but with much more sci-fi.
SPOILERS:
That's where the issue lies. Right at the start, the narrator says this is primarily a story about forbidden love. They quickly explain the concept of two worlds, different gravities, and three basic rules essential to the plot. The sci-fi is done pretty well—they don't dwell on it too much, but everything is shown visually. However, the romance, which is the heart of the story, feels a bit shaky.
The main problem is the inconsistency across the board. Sometimes the visuals look like massive blockbusters for a $50 million budget, but then the effects turn terrible, like that fish scene at the end.
The script is similar. Some parts are inspired and really lean into the unique world, but... the love story is rushed and often naive. Things just happen whenever they need to without real motivation. The acting is decent overall. Dunst is great, as is Sturgess, and the supporting cast is good too, though there are weak moments. It feels rushed. Even the release dates seem odd since it's already playing here, even though the wide US release isn't until March 15th. It's in limited release and already made eight million, so it might actually be a financial hit.
It's an interesting mix of a festival film and blockbuster aesthetics. They don't often explain the sci-fi or why things are happening. When they do try to explain, it comes off as weird, clunky, or banal. Again, inconsistent. They should have either ignored the physics entirely or leaned into them more. A "less is more" approach would have worked better if applied consistently.
The visuals are fantastic, and the 3D is okay. The idea is great, but under-developed. Some scenes are totally unique due to the concept, creating a "wow" effect or causing laughs because of the specific humor of that world.
I'd watch it again, but it won't make my list of best sci-fi films.
The world feels underused. So much is left unexplained or brushed over, almost like they were setting up a sequel, even though the final scene actually wraps things up.
END SPOILERS
Maybe watch it as a curiosity or for fun while looking for holes in the concept. This could have been a memorable film, but I think it will be forgotten after its run.
Maybe someone else will make something similar based on this premise. Glad I saw it, but I feel bad for what it could have been.
P.S. The title translation is poor. They could have captured the film's uniqueness better in the title.
Watched a movie today with a really interesting concept. It mostly stays on that premise. I'm not sure if I'd fully recommend it because it isn't for everyone. People who can ignore some logic gaps might enjoy it. The visuals are truly phenomenal.
The film is innovative on several levels, but unfortunately, it doesn't all make the most of it.
It’s a romance with sci-fi elements, kind of like Inception, but with much more sci-fi.
SPOILERS:
That's where the issue lies. Right at the start, the narrator says this is primarily a story about forbidden love. They quickly explain the concept of two worlds, different gravities, and three basic rules essential to the plot. The sci-fi is done pretty well—they don't dwell on it too much, but everything is shown visually. However, the romance, which is the heart of the story, feels a bit shaky.
The main problem is the inconsistency across the board. Sometimes the visuals look like massive blockbusters for a $50 million budget, but then the effects turn terrible, like that fish scene at the end.
The script is similar. Some parts are inspired and really lean into the unique world, but... the love story is rushed and often naive. Things just happen whenever they need to without real motivation. The acting is decent overall. Dunst is great, as is Sturgess, and the supporting cast is good too, though there are weak moments. It feels rushed. Even the release dates seem odd since it's already playing here, even though the wide US release isn't until March 15th. It's in limited release and already made eight million, so it might actually be a financial hit.
It's an interesting mix of a festival film and blockbuster aesthetics. They don't often explain the sci-fi or why things are happening. When they do try to explain, it comes off as weird, clunky, or banal. Again, inconsistent. They should have either ignored the physics entirely or leaned into them more. A "less is more" approach would have worked better if applied consistently.
The visuals are fantastic, and the 3D is okay. The idea is great, but under-developed. Some scenes are totally unique due to the concept, creating a "wow" effect or causing laughs because of the specific humor of that world.
I'd watch it again, but it won't make my list of best sci-fi films.
The world feels underused. So much is left unexplained or brushed over, almost like they were setting up a sequel, even though the final scene actually wraps things up.
END SPOILERS
Maybe watch it as a curiosity or for fun while looking for holes in the concept. This could have been a memorable film, but I think it will be forgotten after its run.
Maybe someone else will make something similar based on this premise. Glad I saw it, but I feel bad for what it could have been.
P.S. The title translation is poor. They could have captured the film's uniqueness better in the title.