(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s DVD packaging:
“In a future society where nearly all humans are linked to a vast collective consciousness, one young ‘Non-Connectable’ named M20 refuses to submit to the scientists determined to integrate him into the system. Isolated yet fiercely independent, he becomes a symbol of resistance in a world where individual thought is nearly extinct. With the help of Marie, a brilliant but conflicted scientist torn between duty and conscience, M20 fights to protect his autonomy and ignite a spark of rebellion. Together, their struggle becomes a powerful stand for free will in the face of overwhelming technological control.”
Here’s the thing, folks …
If you’re anything remotely like me, then you probably read that plot description and said, “Hell yeah! This sounds like my kind of ride!” The simple lesson here is that making decision almost entirely on prose likely written by learned advertising professionals can be the Achilles’ Heel which, herein, leads to disappointment (as opposed to the Trojan War hero’s death). These executives are paid to bring you to the table … to get you to purchase a theater ticket … to lure you into ponying up your own hard-earned cash for a digital rental or purchase. A bit of restraint – along with a bit of research – sometimes goes a long way toward staving off some regret, and rest assured those will likely be the wisest words I can offer as it comes to I-Art (2018).
Alexandre Da Silva directs here from a script attributed to Benjamin Garnier; and while I can say that the direction, pacing, and performances are very good the resulting picture is more than a bit of a conundrum. This happens because the vast majority of the plot as described above is presented through interpretive dance and not actual spoken word storytelling. Yes, there are a few scenes presented by actors which serve as tissue stitching the tale together. There’s even some rather obvious acting which helps to highlight the tensions between the players as well as their collective and individual circumstances … but the fact remains that – most likely – only those of you moved to tear by dance will know what to make of the events as they transpire.
Again (for the haters): yes, there’s a bit of substance in I-Art that pushes the work forward. Like it or not, legendary rapper Dr. Dre even provides a voiceover through a vignette here and there; and I suspect that Da Silva and Garnier employed this technique more as a means to book-end specific events – to underscore the importance of what you were seeing or about to see – and to a small degree that aids in lessening the downright obfuscation that likely would’ve resulted without those words. I’m certainly not trying to disparage any individual’s contributions here: rather, I’m emphasizing that my critical assessment is that there just weren’t enough words and happenings to justify this web being spun the way it was. Granted, I’m not the target demographic; and yet here I am offering you only my assessment of why it should be avoided.
The upside?
Well, it spools out at a lean 60+ minutes, so that minimally scored a point with me. Given the story, this may’ve worked fine with even a bit of trimming and pairing it with other tales in some artistic anthology collection. That alone might’ve made it a touch more interesting as it could’ve been presented alongside high art interpretations of SciFi tropes. But … as it is? Well, I’m glad it’s over.
I-Art (2018) was produced by Blackpills and Woow Your Life. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been handled by the fine folks at Darkside Releasing. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that this is an exceptionally well-done effort: there are a handful of filler sequences – skylines with floating adverts, etc. – which are a bit underwhelming, but they still work for the purposes in which they were designed. Special effects – when used – are actually also quite good. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Disappointingly, this is about as bare bones as one gets with only a theatrical trailer to keep you busy: even though I’ll admit right here that the flick wasn’t my ‘cup o’ tea,’ I still would’ve liked to know a bit more about the whole affair. A big miss.
Alas … this one is Hard To Recommend.
For the record, I-Art (2018) wasn’t conceived and executed as a narrative film. As best as I’ve been able to ascertain (there’s surprisingly little information about it on the World Wide Web), it began life as a TV/Web series; and all that’s been done here is Darkside Releasing (and any other partners) have stitched it together into one whole. (Title inserts still denote the separate chapters when you get to them.) Consumers of – ahem – fine arts might find something to appreciate in this futuristic society wherein – ahem – one character’s struggle against ‘the system’ is represented via interpretive dance; however, those of us who like to dabble in the particulars will find little substance with which to decipher what screenwriter Garnier’s message could possibly have been … except, well, dance it off. Production details are solid, and performances are nice … but it’s still a bit out there.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Darkside Releasing (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of I-Art (2018) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
From the film’s DVD packaging:
“In a future society where nearly all humans are linked to a vast collective consciousness, one young ‘Non-Connectable’ named M20 refuses to submit to the scientists determined to integrate him into the system. Isolated yet fiercely independent, he becomes a symbol of resistance in a world where individual thought is nearly extinct. With the help of Marie, a brilliant but conflicted scientist torn between duty and conscience, M20 fights to protect his autonomy and ignite a spark of rebellion. Together, their struggle becomes a powerful stand for free will in the face of overwhelming technological control.”
Here’s the thing, folks …
If you’re anything remotely like me, then you probably read that plot description and said, “Hell yeah! This sounds like my kind of ride!” The simple lesson here is that making decision almost entirely on prose likely written by learned advertising professionals can be the Achilles’ Heel which, herein, leads to disappointment (as opposed to the Trojan War hero’s death). These executives are paid to bring you to the table … to get you to purchase a theater ticket … to lure you into ponying up your own hard-earned cash for a digital rental or purchase. A bit of restraint – along with a bit of research – sometimes goes a long way toward staving off some regret, and rest assured those will likely be the wisest words I can offer as it comes to I-Art (2018).
Alexandre Da Silva directs here from a script attributed to Benjamin Garnier; and while I can say that the direction, pacing, and performances are very good the resulting picture is more than a bit of a conundrum. This happens because the vast majority of the plot as described above is presented through interpretive dance and not actual spoken word storytelling. Yes, there are a few scenes presented by actors which serve as tissue stitching the tale together. There’s even some rather obvious acting which helps to highlight the tensions between the players as well as their collective and individual circumstances … but the fact remains that – most likely – only those of you moved to tear by dance will know what to make of the events as they transpire.
Again (for the haters): yes, there’s a bit of substance in I-Art that pushes the work forward. Like it or not, legendary rapper Dr. Dre even provides a voiceover through a vignette here and there; and I suspect that Da Silva and Garnier employed this technique more as a means to book-end specific events – to underscore the importance of what you were seeing or about to see – and to a small degree that aids in lessening the downright obfuscation that likely would’ve resulted without those words. I’m certainly not trying to disparage any individual’s contributions here: rather, I’m emphasizing that my critical assessment is that there just weren’t enough words and happenings to justify this web being spun the way it was. Granted, I’m not the target demographic; and yet here I am offering you only my assessment of why it should be avoided.
The upside?
Well, it spools out at a lean 60+ minutes, so that minimally scored a point with me. Given the story, this may’ve worked fine with even a bit of trimming and pairing it with other tales in some artistic anthology collection. That alone might’ve made it a touch more interesting as it could’ve been presented alongside high art interpretations of SciFi tropes. But … as it is? Well, I’m glad it’s over.
I-Art (2018) was produced by Blackpills and Woow Your Life. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been handled by the fine folks at Darkside Releasing. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that this is an exceptionally well-done effort: there are a handful of filler sequences – skylines with floating adverts, etc. – which are a bit underwhelming, but they still work for the purposes in which they were designed. Special effects – when used – are actually also quite good. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Disappointingly, this is about as bare bones as one gets with only a theatrical trailer to keep you busy: even though I’ll admit right here that the flick wasn’t my ‘cup o’ tea,’ I still would’ve liked to know a bit more about the whole affair. A big miss.
Alas … this one is Hard To Recommend.
For the record, I-Art (2018) wasn’t conceived and executed as a narrative film. As best as I’ve been able to ascertain (there’s surprisingly little information about it on the World Wide Web), it began life as a TV/Web series; and all that’s been done here is Darkside Releasing (and any other partners) have stitched it together into one whole. (Title inserts still denote the separate chapters when you get to them.) Consumers of – ahem – fine arts might find something to appreciate in this futuristic society wherein – ahem – one character’s struggle against ‘the system’ is represented via interpretive dance; however, those of us who like to dabble in the particulars will find little substance with which to decipher what screenwriter Garnier’s message could possibly have been … except, well, dance it off. Production details are solid, and performances are nice … but it’s still a bit out there.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Darkside Releasing (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of I-Art (2018) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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