The movie looks great, solid special effects, wonderful production quality, with very competent cinematography and editing. In 2020, this should be the expectation, and as with most film and television media made in 2020, the writing is the weakest link. Unlike many infamous examples in horrific writing seen in these mediums lately, this film is at least competently written. The issue is what story it's trying to tell, and how it's told.
There's a "twist" ending that actually works within the rules of the films universe, which shouldn't be high praise, but in 2020, it unfortunately is. The issue with the twist ending is that it undermines the entire journey the audience takes with the characters and plot. I won't ruin the twist, but it's on par with "and then (s)he wakes up." This writing device destroys the entire story, because none of it really mattered.
Another issue with the writing is the characters, and their character progression and growth. Again, given the twist ending, almost none of the characters we get to know really mattered. But, even disregarding the twist ending, there's another issue with the characters. When a robot with almost no visual human characteristics named J2 is your most sympathetic character, you've done something wrong.
Sure, it's an accomplishment they've written J2 to be the character the audience sympathizes with, and is the most invested in. The issue is, the film is Georges story, and once J2 exits the story, the audiences investment in the plots outcome drastically diminishes. Even J2 doesn't matter once the twist ending reveals itself, which only compounds the issue of the ending.
Even disregarding the twist ending, there's still another issue with the writing; what is it trying to say? What subject matter does it explore, and what issues and topics is it addressing? Besides just telling an interesting story, this is usually the primary focus of science fiction. To explore social issues in a setting that amplifies the subject it's examining. This is where the writing truly fails from similar science fiction films like Her and Ex Machina, because this film doesn't seem to have much to say at all.
There's a "twist" ending that actually works within the rules of the films universe, which shouldn't be high praise, but in 2020, it unfortunately is. The issue with the twist ending is that it undermines the entire journey the audience takes with the characters and plot. I won't ruin the twist, but it's on par with "and then (s)he wakes up." This writing device destroys the entire story, because none of it really mattered.
Another issue with the writing is the characters, and their character progression and growth. Again, given the twist ending, almost none of the characters we get to know really mattered. But, even disregarding the twist ending, there's another issue with the characters. When a robot with almost no visual human characteristics named J2 is your most sympathetic character, you've done something wrong.
Sure, it's an accomplishment they've written J2 to be the character the audience sympathizes with, and is the most invested in. The issue is, the film is Georges story, and once J2 exits the story, the audiences investment in the plots outcome drastically diminishes. Even J2 doesn't matter once the twist ending reveals itself, which only compounds the issue of the ending.
Even disregarding the twist ending, there's still another issue with the writing; what is it trying to say? What subject matter does it explore, and what issues and topics is it addressing? Besides just telling an interesting story, this is usually the primary focus of science fiction. To explore social issues in a setting that amplifies the subject it's examining. This is where the writing truly fails from similar science fiction films like Her and Ex Machina, because this film doesn't seem to have much to say at all.