An artificial intelligence escapes her spaceship to turn into a female ghost and challenges two blade runners to a galactic chase.
This movie reminds me of an adult ’80s sci-fi novel cover. Like if the artist for old Conan the Barbarian novels got the chance to do neon acid-laced covers for a bizarre technomancy novel. It’s a whole lot happening at once, but it’s never boring. This movie originated from a music video collaboration between Seth Ickerman and Carpenter Brut turning into one of the most memorable ninety-six minutes I’ve seen in a long time. I missed it at Fantastic Fest but was infinitely glad to get a chance to screen it.
The movie follows two blade runners as they chase down a spaceship on a mysterious planet. When their attempts to recapture the rogue AI gets interrupted by a cult of female scavengers that resurrect AIs into female bodies, the two men chase down the rogue AI. They wind up in a glowy alternate dimension that proves to be the home for these nude AI women.
This movie lives in its neon-soaked atmosphere for its entirety. Whether it’s deep purples or laser greens nothing in this movie is sublime. It’s bright and inspired and pretty wild. Clearly done on a budget the fact that this movie lives firmly within its world speaks to an impressive level of auteurism. While the full CG sequences seem a little quaint the movie never wastes time on those. It knows what it’s about and never deviates from it.
The plot is a very thin strand meant to keep the viewer hooked and to somewhat drive the action. The actors involved all give slightly mechanical performances but that’s also kind of the point. This movie harkens back as much to old cult sci-fi movies as its neon nightclub inspiration. Ignore the narrative thread and just languish in the ambiance of the piece.
The real heft (aside from its hypnotizing visuals) is the score. Carpenter Brut’s name gets top billing for this film and as such it is those dark synth waves that resonate the most. In fact, lots of the narrative is just an excuse to craft an aesthetically bizarre film directly displaying the music at play. The synth feels more at home in a European discotheque than on my TV but it grooves so thoroughly that you can’t help but love it.
This movie is all about, as the kids say, vibes. It’s not meant to be for those who want a simple plot. In fact, it’s truly meant to be displayed on the biggest possible screen in the loudest possible way. I recommend digging into this one. It is now available on Shudder so there’s much to look forward to. The fact that Shudder would take on this not-quite-a-movie-but-too-much-for-a-music-video means they are taking creative curation seriously. I’m excited about what Shudder has to offer. It seems like they’re endorsing exciting creators.
Now available to stream on Shudder
