Cute but toothless
Like others said, this film very much feels like an extended Black Mirror episode, but without a twist or something edgy to make it memorable.
This young couple want to have a baby in a world where babies can be made in artificial wombs i.e. Egg-shaped "pods". The woman (a nice portrayal by Emilia Clarke - the American accent was probably unnecessary given that there's no relevant backstory) is a highly successful professional, working for the same corporation that actually offers the pod services. She's an all around modern woman, having accepted the quirks and conveniences of this very high-tech society. Her husband, on the other hand (a warm and relatable portrayal by Chiwetel Ejiofor) is an old-school botanologist, who loves nature and is sceptical towards all of this tech taking over natural processes like pregnancy and childbirth.
You'd think that this conflict would drive the plot, but it doesn't. It somehow gets resolved very easily, without much of a takeaway and that's the problem of the whole film. No conflict, no high stakes, no twists or sinister revelations, just literally what it says on the tin: a couple having a baby in a pod.
There is no discernible stance or point that the film is making. If the point is "natural is better", it is made in a very underwhelming manner. If the point is to offer some food for thought and debate, then it also fails: there is, for example, the angle of this method of reproduction being liberating for women and an opportunity for men to bond with their unborn baby in a more meaningful way - but this gets quickly dismissed and satirized as if there isn't a deeper discussion about bodily autonomy and gender roles behind it.
One thing I will praise is the pace and aesthetic. I didn't find it slow, despite the lack of an exciting plot. And that's an achievement of the art department, which made the whole flow and visuals soothing and satisfying.
Decent effort, but ultimately powerless.
This young couple want to have a baby in a world where babies can be made in artificial wombs i.e. Egg-shaped "pods". The woman (a nice portrayal by Emilia Clarke - the American accent was probably unnecessary given that there's no relevant backstory) is a highly successful professional, working for the same corporation that actually offers the pod services. She's an all around modern woman, having accepted the quirks and conveniences of this very high-tech society. Her husband, on the other hand (a warm and relatable portrayal by Chiwetel Ejiofor) is an old-school botanologist, who loves nature and is sceptical towards all of this tech taking over natural processes like pregnancy and childbirth.
You'd think that this conflict would drive the plot, but it doesn't. It somehow gets resolved very easily, without much of a takeaway and that's the problem of the whole film. No conflict, no high stakes, no twists or sinister revelations, just literally what it says on the tin: a couple having a baby in a pod.
There is no discernible stance or point that the film is making. If the point is "natural is better", it is made in a very underwhelming manner. If the point is to offer some food for thought and debate, then it also fails: there is, for example, the angle of this method of reproduction being liberating for women and an opportunity for men to bond with their unborn baby in a more meaningful way - but this gets quickly dismissed and satirized as if there isn't a deeper discussion about bodily autonomy and gender roles behind it.
One thing I will praise is the pace and aesthetic. I didn't find it slow, despite the lack of an exciting plot. And that's an achievement of the art department, which made the whole flow and visuals soothing and satisfying.
Decent effort, but ultimately powerless.
- elliest_5
- Aug 28, 2024