Hyperland

At the start, Hyperland does not really tell you where you are, or what kind of a world your characters are inhabiting. But as a viewer, you realise very quickly that a single central element shapes its world: A social networking system on which everyone is watching everyone, all the time, in a non-stop social currency & surveillance scheme, controlling all aspects of life. At first glance, the system - which directly projects into the brains of those connected to it - looks a lot like the things we know from social media: It's all about likes and approval from the people that virtually surround us. But very soon, the film shows how misguided such a system can become once it turns on you: When grave injustice is done to the central character Cee, Hyperland does not pursue the evildoer - instead it goes after her, the innocent victim. The remainder of the film is the pursuit of a remedy: What can Cee do, now that she's been ostracised by a collective of everyday spies. The film asks uncomfortable questions that everyone who has a profile on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter should be able to relate to: What does it mean when we rate and vote and like and dislike, once these systems become as embedded in our world as their makers want them to be? Let's not forget, Mark Zuckerberg just called his corporation Meta. Hyperland is here to show us what might happen, once Facebook really does "go meta".

Finally something different than always the same boring, stereotypical end-time dystopias. Above all, the current reference - think of Zuckerberg's "Meta" plans - makes this vision so relevant. In addition to the very convincing actors, a very refreshing work visually.

I liked the cast and the story very much. Will the world sometime be like in hyperland? Hopefully not. So: What should we do to create a better future? The film raises questions. I have seen hyperland some weeks ago and I am still thinking about answers, we do not have, actually. Very interesting.

Hyperland is set in a near future, where behaviour is socially rated and everyone is constantly monitored and judged by their peers. The great thing about the film is, that while it uses the dystopian setting as a part of the plot, it never only relies on it. Rather, it uses the setting as a matter of course to drive the narrative.

Very often, near future dystopias, especially those based on the over-exaggeration of modern social media and surveillance technology trends, somehow manage to stay behind within the public discourse. Hyperland, however, manages to drive the discourse forward, not only surfing a wave but actually creating it. Hence, the film is fantastic and very much recommended.

Hyperland is more than a normal feature film, it is a dystopian television play of social relevance captured on celluloid. It is about nothing less than the power of algorithms over the assessment of human life. Realized with an incredible amount of artistic dedication it is worth watching several times. Tip for teachers: Also suitable as a basis for discussion in school lessons.