dpats3

Sthephen Sthpielberg really fumbled this one. Imagine the great Stanley Kubrick giving you a full treatment on a deeply philosophical concept like AI, someone who previously nailed the concept back in the 60's with 2001:A Space Odyssey, and just littering it with absurd visuals, corny dialogue, and wooden acting (Pinocchio joke intended). I understand that Kubrick also offered visual concept art but I can only imagine Spielberg took it upon himself to ruin unintentionally. I believe the corny dialogue is the result of a director of lesser talent attempting to emulate the exquisite dialogue displayed in Kubrick's own works. The essence of Kubrick resides within the film, but only where Sthpielberg's ego doesn't overshadow the themes Kubrick would have pulled off himself if he were the man behind the camera. It's hard to tell whether I'm glad or annoyed that Kubrick didn't attempt this himself without the collaboration with Stheve. Similar to the Napoleon film that never happened, I wonder what could have been if Stan the Man tried his hand at an adapted screenplay of Metropolis instead of handing the reigns of this atrocity to an overrated director.

It's clear that this short film was heavily inspired by Bladerunner but it seemed too much like a rip-off of both Bladerunner films and the Cyberpunk game combined, only on the aesthetic and sociological level. It is lacking in the philosophical depth of Philip K. Dick and other works associated with science fiction and the cyberpunk genre, which is probably an unfair criticism based on the high bar set by such writers, but it's worth noting. Fully aware that this would be hard to achieve within the confines of a short film, I do feel that even if this story was given a feature-length opportunity and budget I still believe it would fall flat.

Aesthetically very slick and cool while maintaining the dirty underground feel it successfully executes, but some of the corny imagery and particularly cheesy soundtrack takes away from what would otherwise be a rewatchable sci-fi short.

Given the criticism, I am however impressed with what was achieved on this reportedly limited budget, and would certainly give other films by Luka Hrgovic and/or Dino Julius a watch to see how they each develop their craft.

An utterly bonkers 'scared-straight' tactic by evangelists. For its time, the imagery of the hellscape depicted must have been terrifying for susceptible southerners, but today, this level of fear-mongering is akin to a cult's bombardment of brainwashing. The acting is god-awful and so wooden you could nail someone to it. I understand why this was not intended for public release as this is a production not even the Mother Mary would be proud of. Ironically, this is one of the most unethical films I have ever seen and should only be viewed for comedic purposes, or for a glimpse into the mind of a narcissistic preacher with too much power.