I was quite skeptical about this film adaptation of Kir Bulychev's book, which I have loved since childhood. A great story for young teenagers, which was read at the time, remained a warm memory for a lifetime. And the unsuccessful transfer to the screen is what really worried me. And Russian cinema is always roulette. Sometimes you can watch a really cool movie from movie makers, and sometimes you get to something awkward, which is hard to call a movie. Therefore, I approached watching the new film with caution. But all my fears were in vain. I really liked the movie. Saturated, dynamic, bright.
"A Hundred Years Ahead" was directed by Alexander Andryushchenko. The director bases his work on the story of the same name by the famous science fiction writer Kir Bulychev, where time travel is present, and the plot revolves around Alice and Kolya, who find themselves together in the maelstrom of events. The picture is an exciting teen fiction with a brisk pace of narration. The events are perfectly adapted to the modern realities of the world, and the future is presented in a very interesting light. The painting successfully combines elements of adventure, drama and fiction, creating an exciting and fascinating story.
The film involves excellent actors, both well-established and well-known, as well as young and promising ones, who cope with the tasks one hundred percent. Everyone is good: Konstantin Khabensky, Alexander Petrov, Victoria Isakova, Fyodor Bondarchuk, who have a long track record behind them and confidently reveal their characters, are perceived in a familiar way. Daria Vereshchagina and Mark Eidelstein, who played the main roles of Alice and Kolya, have much more interesting incarnations. Great job and incredible chemistry between the actors. The supporting actors have good jobs: Yuri Borisov, Sofa Tsibireva, Matvey Astrakhantsev and Kirill Mitrofanov. Their characters are successfully woven into the story and played beautifully. Yes. Of course, you can't do without various kinds of cliches, but, in general, everyone is in their place. And the questions are more about the script.
Alexander Petrov is especially remembered. His villain, the Merry Man, at first seemed too unreal, a kind of Jack Sparrow at maximum, but then you get used to the image, and Petrov demonstrates all his acting talent, transforming into a famous book character. Alexander absolutely succeeded in this image. He literally becomes the center of this story, despite the fact that he seems to be a villain and not the main character. And even if the character's storyline is quite bland, it is Petrov's acting that pulls the hero almost to the forefront. Alexander's confident playing brings depth and charisma to the character, making him at the same time decisive, aggressive and emotionally difficult.
Alice cannot be ignored either. He is an iconic character. She was played by Daria Vereshchagina. And this is a gorgeous interpretation of the heroine from the book, which perfectly combines the features of the original source and the modern vision of the character. The girl with pink hair is the epitome of curiosity, courage and sincerity. Alice is the central figure of the story, and Dasha does an excellent job of conveying all the nuances of her character. She easily wins sympathy and makes traveling through the futuristic world even more exciting.
The special effects in "A Hundred Years Ahead" deserve special praise. The visual effects team has done an impressive job creating realistic and immersive scenes that immerse viewers in the world of the future. Technologically advanced cities, spaceships and a variety of futuristic devices look incredibly believable and detailed. The visual effects are not only impressive in their beauty, but also effectively support the plot, making it more dynamic and exciting. They may not tell us much about the world of the future and the technologies that exist there, but the footage speaks for itself. The world looks alive and real in a hundred years.
Alexander Andryushchenko's directorial work also deserves high praise. He skillfully balances between action, drama and comedy, creating a film that holds the audience's attention from beginning to end. Andryushchenko shows skill in creating intense and emotionally intense scenes, which makes the picture really exciting and memorable. And it is immediately clear that the main audience of the project should be young viewers. The project is definitely designed for them. But this movie is also a win-win because several generations of adults grew up reading books about Alice, which means they will definitely watch this movie. And it is important that the film turned out to be worthy.
The script skillfully adapts the original novel, preserving its spirit and basic ideas, but adding modern elements that make the story relevant to today's audience. The dialogues are almost always well written, the characters are multifaceted and interesting, and the plot twists keep you in suspense and surprise (not always positively, but nevertheless).
The musical accompaniment also plays an important role in creating the atmosphere of the film. The soundtrack complements the visual effects and enhances the emotional impact of key scenes, adding depth to them.
"One Hundred Years Ahead" is an impressive and fascinating science fiction film that combines great acting, stunning special effects and an interesting image of the future. But much more important, in my opinion, is a careful attitude to the original source. Bulychev created what is now considered to be a classic of Soviet fiction, something with which generations of today's grandparents could dream of the future: brave new worlds, space conquests, developed societies. And let the twenty-first century turn out to be different, different from what Kir Bulychev saw in his works, but we, today's people, it seems, no longer look at the stars and the surrounding reality, as we looked when we read Bulychev's books as children. The finale of the film made us think about Bulychev's contribution to scientific and, more importantly, children's fiction. For me, this is a man who has taught many of us to dream. Thanks for that.
8 out of 10.
