Science fiction predominantly plays with futuristic concepts and highly advanced technology. That's fine; there's nothing wrong with that. But it does mean that any sci-fi stories bucking that trend inherently feels like a breath of fresh air. 'Speak only good of the dead' takes a chance by telling a story set in the mid-20th century, but it has done very well.
In a genre that largely relies on the steady march of progress, looking backwards for a setting, instead of forwards, also forces some ingenuity in storytelling. It's one thing to imagine advanced technology and pick some mostly arbitrary future date where that tech may be plausible; it's another to craft a narrative around tech in an era where, in real life, it didn't exist. That EPICAC, here, demonstrates an artificial intelligence far beyond what exists now, or will any time soon, once again sets this short apart.
So there we have the premise. What follows is unexpectedly compelling low-key drama as the unnamed protagonist discovers EPICAC's sentience, and begins to converse with the circuitry as though they were any human companion.
'Speak only good of the dead' is satisfying in a way I wouldn't have guessed. The narrative takes a direction I didn't wholly anticipate, and in the least the conclusion certainly upended my expectations. Perhaps as a result of the thrust so many sci-fi stories take, especially those involving AI, I assumed the ending would embrace some great cataclysm as a finale. And, well, in a sense that's still true - but the ruination here is less physical, and more emotional.
As a note, I do find myself concerned at the suggestion of how much printer paper was used during production. I hope the quantity depicted is less an actual count and more movie magic.
Viewers looking for something more dynamic, blustery, and action-packed will probably feel put-out. Yet this is surprising, and absorbing, in its approach toward familiar sci-fi concepts. Sober, understated genre shorts can be just as captivating as those that are more actively adventurous and suspenseful, and here is further evidence. 'Speak only good of the dead' is worth checking out if you come across it.
