(Panos
Cosmatos/2010/Canada)
A young
girl, Elena, seems to be the subject of an experiment or therapy of
some sort. It becomes apparent she has psychic abilities and is being
heavily sedated by the quite frankly sinister looking and behaving
Dr. Barry Nyle. All this is taking place in a facility called Arboria
which is revealed to be a remnant of some 60’s cult in
psychological therapy. This film is mesmerising with huge swathes of
colour and music complimenting the pace of the unfolding events. It
becomes trancelike at times and is open to interpretation,
deliberately so the mind can wander as the eye gorges on the
aesthetics. Cosmatos is clearly paying homage to a lineage of sci-fi
here. I can see THX1138, early John Carpenter horror, Space Odyssey
and a raft of 70’s and 80’s influences. But it raises itself
above simple homage and shapes itself with dollops of traditional
action which take it out of the trance. It’s a lovely film which
allows space for stoned meandering but hits enough plot points and
closes the story in such a way as to be satisfying. Even the clip
after the end credits harkens back to old b-movie style horror.
(4/5)
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