Vesper

In a bleak dystopian world, a thirteen year old girl must survive in a world where citadels containing powerful oligarchs live, controlling the seeds that provide food supplies for those struggling outside on the planet. A smart cookie, she has a number of special skills including an understanding of bio-hacking which she must make use of if she is to beat her power crazy uncle, the excellent Eddie Marsan, the oligarchs and keep her father, who operates through a floating android, alive.

Whilst it could be argued that this intelligent almost evangelical sci-fi thriller suffers slightly through lack of budget, it's effects are sparingly used and are all the more impressive because of it. The performances, particularly from the young girl, Raffiella Chapman are strong, but the most impressive element is the clever mix of intelligent and convincing sci-fi ideas. A wildly over the top Hollywood sci-fi epic remake will surely follow.

So there are some reviews that give this movie a low rating because there are not enough dumb explosions and one dimensional characterisation. After sitting through so many sci fi movies with huge plot holes and mind bending science errors it's nice to see a film that is at least attempting to do something with more soul. There are complaints that it is slow but this is just because we have been brainwashed into accepting flash bang fluff made for the minuscule attention span of the average American. For me it never felt slow but considered. The acting is great, the story nothing new but well delivered and the dystopian world entirely convincing. Compared to Jordan Peele's sci fi misfire 'Nope', it's masterpiece.

It's a pretty ambitious attempt, imperfect but I loved it. Most important thing is it needs a sequel to explain everything, because you're just thrown into it with a vague introduction to this dystopian future, you don't get to explore the vastness of this sci-fi world. It's not so unfamiliar though, there hints and cues to help you imagine what life is like outside of those the niche story focuses on, there's so many little side plots that you wouldn't usually pay attention to. When you hear sci-fi especially if you usually only watch movies you might think more of flashy, space travel or aliens, light sabers... but this is the gloomy type that's more accustomed to in tv series, for me at least. So you might be disappointed if you're expecting that. Cinematography is great, despite the bleak setting there's still so much beauty nature offers.

Biggest problem is we don't learn much and there's huge lack of details, but it's a well made low budget sci-fi that deserves a sequel for that reason. To explore the work it's based in. Love dark science fiction.

It's nothing like game of thrones but I'm trying to think of an analogy that'd be widely accepted, so imagine instead of focusing on Westeros affairs, it focuses on a little girl and her father, living on their own in a village in the middle of nowhere. You don't get a picture of the grand scale of things, just a really small piece of a puzzle. That's why I think turning this into a franchise has great potential, because their dystopian future has so much more to explore. The problem is this doesn't feel like a first movie. More like a solo entry to an already established film franchise.

It's something new, a breath of fresh air(gloomy one) and for that I fear that it'll land in the same shoes as Mortal Engines which I loved, because it won't be as widely appreciated by audiences enough to warrant a franchise or even a sequel to explore everything this dystopian world has to offer.

Less is more with this one. Rather than bog it down with excessive CGI or overblown action sequences, the filmmakers slowed the pacing and gave us a more nuanced tale. And in my opinion, it works.

In a post-apocalyptic future, a gifted girl (Vesper) with a penchant for organic biochemistry learns to navigate the bleak landscape and cope with the even bleaker tendencies of humanity, until an accident presents her with an opportunity to escape her reality and flourish her talents.

Such as it is, Vesper had a lot of creative ideas and interesting story points. As expected, it's a pretty grim view of our future, but it was nice that the CGI was sparingly used, particularly in the spore and plant effects, and her bio-cybernetic floating dad-head. I also enjoyed the bit where Vesper learns of the now-extinct animals from today.

Decent acting, decent music, great cinematography, and interesting story. They lost me a little bit with the ending though. Symbolically, I guess I get it..? But it threw me a little, not sure I get why she'd do that

7/10, would maybe watch again.

Vesper is a very special film. The sort of sci-fi you rarely see - one with heart, meaning, social conscience and an important message about earths future wrapped in emotional drama, stunning visuals and originality aplenty.

At the centre is Vesper herself and the whole movie hinges on the shoulders of its thirteen year old star. Raffiella Chapman turns in a nuanced performance at once both the brave heroine and fragile child. It is so accomplished a performance it's hard to believe this young actor was indeed just thirteen at the time of filming.

There is a wonderful scene where Vesper forgets her adult responsibilities and howls like a wolf with all the vigour and lack of self consciousness of a child and it's both poignant and incredibly emotional. Moments like this might feel out of place to sci-fan fans used to the action obsessed Hollywood mainstay of the genre but it is these unusual touches that make this film so unique.

Eddie Marsan is wonderful as Vesper's sinister uncle and Richard Brake terrific as Vespers ailing father, his voice given life within a drone in yet another original touch.

I've never seen anything quite like Vesper and the incredible imagery and performances will stay with me a long time. If you like your sci-fi cerebral and challenging with superb characters and world building then this is a must watch. 10/10.