Anon

The collaboration between Andrew Niccol and Clive Owen promised a successful sci-fi film from the trailers, set in a future where almost nothing can be hidden from society. It has its bright moments (and there are quite a few), but overall, it might not impress you. Some innovations excited me, especially the hacking of other people’s vision and seeing from their perspective, or the ability to manipulate others' reality (simply implanting something that doesn’t exist at the moment). The story didn’t drag the film down, but it lacked greater depth in the script and more cohesiveness. Owen is a likable guy from the start; I believed in his role, maybe even totally bought into it. On the other hand, the film’s visualization doesn’t quite convince; it boasts an interesting filter and various digital labels for surrounding objects, but in the end, it doesn’t feel very futuristic. The film also features action sequences, some of which caught my attention (blind shooting, etc.), but a greater number wouldn’t have hurt. The dialogues could have been sharper too. It’s not a disaster, but it’s not worth a second viewing. I give it 66%. (16/07/2018)

Pretty decent utopian sci-fi crime film with a decent Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried. Andrew Niccol apparently wanted to follow up his success with In Time with a similarly interesting theme, but didn’t quite make it this time. The premise is certainly interesting and there are some solid sequences (there’s no shortage of blood and nudity, plus points for that) and the conclusion could have been more intense. It's good for a watch. Definitely a better effort from Netflix. 60% (09/05/2018)

Andrew Niccol is a good choice on the Netflix’s part – an avant-garde filmmaking, but of a high quality. I just wouldn’t think that the director of Gattaca or In Time would enjoy making a hardcore technology sci-fi without a trace of emotion. Its premise is more than solid, but conveyed in a manner as cold as an iron rod in a stomach of an android. Well, at least it all looks good. (28/04/2020)

It would be great as a one-hour and more expensive episode of Black Mirror. Niccol comes with very smart and current material in a dystopian package and the first hour keeps the viewer hooked in tension. But then things start to unfold weirdly fast and there are several parts where the logic of that world is forgotten in order to explain everything half-assedly; by the end, it has nothing left to say. Squandered potential with amazing atmosphere, cool visuals and an interesting insight that unfortunately is not sold very well. Owen is good as always and Amanda has never been sexier. 70% (23/03/2020)

Another very intellectually rich film with an interesting world, but I kept thinking that it’s just an idea that Niccol filed away for later when he was shooting In Time. Because a world without privacy with a murder that nobody ever sees is just a bit farfetched. It serves only to make the story work, which is a bit of a shame. The same applies to the static shots of gazing eyes. Clive Owen seems to take it very easy, but the result is just fine, and the role of the mysterious woman is perfect for Amanda Seyfried. Thanks to Netflix, we were treated to naked bodies and violence, too. It’s just a shame that the movie wasn’t more carefully thought through. (07/01/2019)