Mountainhead

"Mountainhead" is the kind of film that clearly could have been something special. The premise carries the weight of mystery and psychological depth, and you can sense that somewhere in there, buried beneath the missteps, is a brilliant story struggling to surface. Unfortunately, what we get instead is a film riddled with mediocre dialogue, undercooked ideas, and character choices that slide from naive into outright dumb.

The central theme had potential to explore something meaningful - maybe a descent into obsession or isolation - but it's hard to stay invested when the script constantly undercuts its own gravity. The male characters are frustratingly unrealistic: wealthy yet clueless to a degree that breaks immersion. Their actions, supposedly driven by ambition or fear, feel more like the product of lazy writing than believable motivation.

The cinematography and atmosphere hint at what the film could have been under stronger direction - moments of eerie tension and visual style do appear. But they're fleeting, drowned out by the clunky pacing and lack of coherence. It's a shame, really, because the bones of a great story are here. They're just never given a chance to shine.

"Mountainhead" isn't unwatchable, but it's a textbook case of wasted potential.

This movie is masterfully done. The problem is that very, very few people in general can relate to it.

It's billed as a comedy, and it is, but not in the form of jokes or slapstick, but in mocking. The characters are a caricature of tech founders, how they act, talk, etc. And they nailed it absolutely. The underlying theme stitched throughout is how Godlike and smart these people feel they are, while in actuality unable to do even simple tasks.

I've had the displeasure of having known two wealthy tech founders, and every single line and situation reminded me of them, only slightly more absurd of course.

I'm rating it high because I think they absolutely captured the mindset and what a joke they are at face value. But it dawned on me that it's more like an inside joke than something to release a movie about.

I don't understand the negative reviews - thought it was very funny, but also super relevant to the times we're living in where these billionaires really do have all the power. And where AI and social media can be extremely destructive to society and democracy. The cast was fantastic, the characters were super weird, but it's exactly how I imagine the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world to be. At times (mostly in the beginning) it was hard to follow, but that also made it kind of interesting. Like they had their own language that we mere mortals don't speak or understand. Very unique movie, one you should definitely watch.

Mountainhead isn't your typical popcorn movie - and that's precisely its strength. Many viewers might walk in expecting a comedy (perhaps misled by the marketing), but what they'll find is a cerebral, slow-burning exploration of AI, power, and the people shaping our future.

This film is a must-watch for AI executives, tech enthusiasts, and anyone involved in the design or governance of digital systems. It offers a sobering reflection on the values of those leading technological development, and the real-world consequences of their choices. In a world inching toward techno-feudalism, where unelected tech moguls can steer the fate of entire nations, Mountainhead asks hard questions about who holds the power-and what they believe in.

It's not always easy to digest. Some scenes feel abstract or overly intellectual, and casual viewers looking for laughs might leave confused or disappointed. But maybe that's part of the point. The people who "don't get it" may soon find their jobs-and their agency-at risk in an AI-driven world they didn't help design or understand.

In the end, Mountainhead isn't a film for everyone. But for the right audience, it's a compelling and necessary piece of storytelling.

They're all intentionally insufferable, and I was happy for it to be over. I laughed once ('suddenly'). And though some of their behaviour is outlandish, they're not all that far-fetched when you look at the behaviour of someone like Musk, which is depressing, But I appreciated that we got a critique of the new tech overlord mindset so quickly after their collaborative inauguration with Trump. It's the kind of fast responsive filmmaking that we got at the start of covid and lockdowns. We shouldn't only have a diet of movies that have been years in development and don't reflect the present day.