Yes the acting is not extraordinary, yes the filming quality is not that good, the storyline is OK.
Watched it and did not regret "wasting" my time, would I recommended because it was that good, probably not. But if you like movies that have bit of science or tech in it, it's probably worth to watch.
15 Reviews
Einstein was wrong.
nogodnomasters1 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
George (Mark Redpath) is a scientist working for a communications company. He has been working, without success, on dark matter transmission of data. He is let go, but his idea is the intellectual property of the company. George gets a grant from a university to conduct his research. They believe George owns the intellectual rights. They assign Tom (Antony Talia) to work with him. Tom is a genius and loves to talk too much. While calibrating the receiving unit, Tom accidentally points the dish to the sky. . . and they get a signal.
For the first hour, the film is mostly a drama about relationships as we build the characters. We never find out exactly where the signals come from, but they make the characters more interesting. This is low budget science fiction. It was semi-enjoyable and slow at times.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
For the first hour, the film is mostly a drama about relationships as we build the characters. We never find out exactly where the signals come from, but they make the characters more interesting. This is low budget science fiction. It was semi-enjoyable and slow at times.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Bit of a mish-mash of reasonable ideas poorly presented.
PiAnt22 July 2019
One wouldn't necessarily hold that the acting wasn't adequate, or that the production was poor for a low-budget offering, and the premise, which immediately reminded me of Contact (1997), is also intriguing.
Unfortunately, however, the overall presentation just seemed lacking in any real drama. I wasn't in the least invested in the characters or even the outcome and some of the things which occur seem to have been put in to try and flesh out the story somewhat.
It could have been something pretty good, but, in the end, I was just left with a ho-hum feeling of disappointment and missed opportunity.
Unfortunately, however, the overall presentation just seemed lacking in any real drama. I wasn't in the least invested in the characters or even the outcome and some of the things which occur seem to have been put in to try and flesh out the story somewhat.
It could have been something pretty good, but, in the end, I was just left with a ho-hum feeling of disappointment and missed opportunity.
Something went wrong
fixedfrequencies24 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It's hard to know where to start with this, it has some really interesting ideas but it seemed to get partway into exploring them and then ditching them for another idea completely.
it's starts out with an aging scientist trying to prove a theory regarding dark radiation which after some setbacks (setbacks are a cool band by the way) he is given a lab at a university on the condition that he teams up with some early 20s guy who is abrasive etc.
they accidentally discover an alien signal, download it and give it to someone to help translate it, at which point that storyline seems to end in favour of a storyline where they use the machine that picked up the alien signal to upload data directly to to the younger guys head; it's not clear whether it's the alien data or just random data but the upshot is that he can now smell the ingredients in the older guys cup of tea and other heightened senses, this storyline seems to go nowhere as the next storyline of arguments over who owns the rights to the invention comes into play.
the young guy randomly sleeps with a female friend he's known forever, cheating on his pregnant girlfriend, they split up for a bit and then he turns up to the ultrasound, says sorry and she forgives him - the female friend isn't mentioned again. the young guy also shaves off his hair, walks around the street naked, the older guy somehow walks into him, takes him back to the lab and extracts the data the younger guy uploaded and then sets fire to the machine he's worked on his entire life that can pick up alien signals, discover dark radiation and instantly teach people anything because...I don't know - whatever. he avoids being legally punished for this because some people committed suicide or something (I assume the company that took his machine tried it on them and he knew about it)
I gave it 3 stars because the acting was decent and the ideas were good but everyone involved in this movie must have some kind of severe case of ADHD or something.
it's starts out with an aging scientist trying to prove a theory regarding dark radiation which after some setbacks (setbacks are a cool band by the way) he is given a lab at a university on the condition that he teams up with some early 20s guy who is abrasive etc.
they accidentally discover an alien signal, download it and give it to someone to help translate it, at which point that storyline seems to end in favour of a storyline where they use the machine that picked up the alien signal to upload data directly to to the younger guys head; it's not clear whether it's the alien data or just random data but the upshot is that he can now smell the ingredients in the older guys cup of tea and other heightened senses, this storyline seems to go nowhere as the next storyline of arguments over who owns the rights to the invention comes into play.
the young guy randomly sleeps with a female friend he's known forever, cheating on his pregnant girlfriend, they split up for a bit and then he turns up to the ultrasound, says sorry and she forgives him - the female friend isn't mentioned again. the young guy also shaves off his hair, walks around the street naked, the older guy somehow walks into him, takes him back to the lab and extracts the data the younger guy uploaded and then sets fire to the machine he's worked on his entire life that can pick up alien signals, discover dark radiation and instantly teach people anything because...I don't know - whatever. he avoids being legally punished for this because some people committed suicide or something (I assume the company that took his machine tried it on them and he knew about it)
I gave it 3 stars because the acting was decent and the ideas were good but everyone involved in this movie must have some kind of severe case of ADHD or something.
Terrible Script!
AMZCali20 July 2019
Another low-b film that goes nowhere and ends nowhere. The script has the same horrible dialogue that so many low-b films have. I wanted to like this film coming out the gates but as the minutes rolled by, I realized that I was wasting my time.
A discovery. Something cosmic about said discovery. Disagreement on how to handle the discovery. Government (or in this case a University) wants to hide and control the discovery. Sadly, the entire film is about the arguing of the discovery rather than exploring the discovery. Seriously!
This film is a lot of the same that we've seen in so many other small films yet nothing new or interesting. Watch at your own risk, the risk of wasting your time. the good news is that after watching this film, I quickly began to forget what I had just watched, so almost as if it had never happened.
A discovery. Something cosmic about said discovery. Disagreement on how to handle the discovery. Government (or in this case a University) wants to hide and control the discovery. Sadly, the entire film is about the arguing of the discovery rather than exploring the discovery. Seriously!
This film is a lot of the same that we've seen in so many other small films yet nothing new or interesting. Watch at your own risk, the risk of wasting your time. the good news is that after watching this film, I quickly began to forget what I had just watched, so almost as if it had never happened.
Somewhat interesting
mgl-920374 January 2020
But the budget was so low they basically couldn't do anything but talk. For a science fiction movie this makes for an unsatisfying result.
Also, the young "genius" assistant was played by an actor who seems as smart as a chair---not convincing. The older scientist was nicely portrayed.
Why must science be so boring?
bitbucketchip16 September 2021
I've never met a scientist as dull and lifeless as they are portrayed in movies. I get that Hollywood types don't encounter people with above average intelligence in their daily lives. If they'd venture beyond their self-induced ignorance chamber once in a while they'd be shocked to learn scientists are real, actual human beings with personalities and interests beyond their area of expertise.
The premise of this movie was interesting but the script made it deadly. I dozed off several times and had to rewind, only to see I missed absolutely nothing. The film could be cut down to a commercial without losing anything. Half the film is about how rich the scientists will become creating a radio to listen to aliens so far advanced we're all Hollywood types in comparison. It simply makes no sense.
As for the dialog: words cannot express what those words could not express.
Three stars for an interesting concept. Zero stars for the plodding direction, atrocious acting, dreary sets, dull background music, first year film student camera work, and tepid editing.
Three stars.
The premise of this movie was interesting but the script made it deadly. I dozed off several times and had to rewind, only to see I missed absolutely nothing. The film could be cut down to a commercial without losing anything. Half the film is about how rich the scientists will become creating a radio to listen to aliens so far advanced we're all Hollywood types in comparison. It simply makes no sense.
As for the dialog: words cannot express what those words could not express.
Three stars for an interesting concept. Zero stars for the plodding direction, atrocious acting, dreary sets, dull background music, first year film student camera work, and tepid editing.
Three stars.
Science geeks and techies should love this film.....which by the way is not a 'short' film.
safsurfer19 July 2019
This is a very watchable movie from down under. Full of science lingo and tech jargon that's sure to please anyone interested in that sort of stuff, which I am. There was enough solid sounding math, science, and technology terminology to keep the film grounded in this universe though. The acting and overall production was quite pleasing given the low budget type film, which by the way was way better than most other low budget films I've seen. The overall premise of the film was solid and had good mystery and fulfilling drama with characters trying to solve impossible problem, working out the details to get problem solved, animosity and confrontation between characters, family drama, character flaws, compromise, global impact, etc, etc....The script was also brilliantly written given all the math and science lingo that went into this film, plus it moved at a good pace so you didn't get bogged down to much in any one of the plot points. Although a little bit of the acting was cheesy, most of it was very good and I never felt like fast forwarding or turning it off. Plus none of the characters committed the ultimate sin of 'people doing totally unrealistic and stupid things that nobody in any frame of mind would ever do'. I hate that type of drama, which is rampant, and I start yelling at the TV. Those writers need to scratch their heads a bit more and make it more believable. There was none of that in this film. The production was also very high given the budget and the props and technology displayed were spot on and led to the credibility of the film. This is a film you should see if science and technology are your thing. Way to go.
Flowers for Algernon (1958) + Contact (1985) = Quanta (2019)
ulisses_phoenix14 May 2020
This one's a mashup of "Flowers for Algernon" (Daniel Keyes, 1958) and "Contact" (Carl Sagan, 1985). Although it's derivative, the combo is really something fresh and new. Nathan Dalton manages to create a compelling story by taking elements of those two old science fiction classics and weaving them into a film that keeps you glued to the screen. There's real character development, plenty of clues to help the audience follow the plot, and lots of techno speak that's actually consistent with known science. (Although the idea of "radiation" from "dark" matter is somewhat of an oxymoron.) There are a few other instances of creative license, but for the most part it's believable.
The part where it departs from reality is in the motivations and behaviors of the characters. They seem to make unnatural decisions at times and don't always act like real people. But it's not uncommon in film to bend character behavior to advance the plot, so you just suspend disbelief and enjoy the movie.
The sound track was great. It set the mood and really helped provide clues about the plot and the emotions of the characters. The cinematography was likewise supportive of the moods and plot and didn't overpower the action happening on the screen. The acting performances, from relatively unknown actors, was superb. All these elements in the final product (with an insanely tiny budget) point to an extremely competent director whom I'm sure we have not heard the last of.
Overall, a great film if you are looking for a character-driven drama/scifi with lots of thought-provoking dialogue and you don't care about tons of special effects and starship shootouts.
Triggers: brief headline text ~80wpm, one subtle and minor ethnic reference
The part where it departs from reality is in the motivations and behaviors of the characters. They seem to make unnatural decisions at times and don't always act like real people. But it's not uncommon in film to bend character behavior to advance the plot, so you just suspend disbelief and enjoy the movie.
The sound track was great. It set the mood and really helped provide clues about the plot and the emotions of the characters. The cinematography was likewise supportive of the moods and plot and didn't overpower the action happening on the screen. The acting performances, from relatively unknown actors, was superb. All these elements in the final product (with an insanely tiny budget) point to an extremely competent director whom I'm sure we have not heard the last of.
Overall, a great film if you are looking for a character-driven drama/scifi with lots of thought-provoking dialogue and you don't care about tons of special effects and starship shootouts.
Triggers: brief headline text ~80wpm, one subtle and minor ethnic reference
Am satisfied
jossyrossy1 August 2019
It's good
seasonalsalmon21 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The film is alright, hooks you right into the story. But here lies the problem about alien language ... apparently alien character set or just gibberish was already installed in the computer and was quickly decoded in days. This language problem was already presented by a different film called 'Arrival' in the same year so the data shown by this film makes it look like they took a giant plot leap to further the story, it's just magic. Add to that the device suddenly acquired a new 'extract' feature so quickly, it's a short film but they could've added more mins to show the passage of time.
Besides that the vlogger guy is forgettably annoying, it's the exact opposite personality you would expect for a rebel 'genius'. But of course, we wouldn't have a story if it weren't for his bad decisions.
CRANK IT UP!
kennethkrabat5 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
People with low attention spans is what this film is made ABOUT, not FOR. Or rather, it is a message to people with sufficient attention span to DO SOMETHING about the destruction of science through pressure to release, insufficient testing, competition to monetise, incomprehension of the concept of methodical SCIENTIFIC ADVANCE. In that sense it is not a science fiction story.
But, don't worry - it IS! :-)
The trope is tried - the sudden advancement of intellectual capacity. Flowers for Algernon is probably the saddest, as it explores both the loss of innocence and the loss of gained intellectual prowess. QUANTA is however not interested in the actual gain of mental acuity - at least no more than to say high mental facility equals loss of empathy and proper social codes - duh! - but rather explores the actual cost of doing science today as mentioned above. How you cannot NOT own your idea, but someone can own YOU and gag your and tie your hand and foot and prevent you from influencing your creation. As such it criticises every capitalist institution from publisher to streamer, to paid exhibitions and IKEA and more - all institutions, whose contribution seem to be less about emotional, intellectual, soulfull content and more about making investors money.
This, however, may be an image of an old-fashioned ideal of the Maker/Creator as a singular individual - while today very few people can hope to create something and then test its value on recipients, display its use to the world, market it, sell it, to singlehandedly reap the profits - be that acclaim or money or both. Most research and creation today is done in teams - and as such the movie's idea of Lonely creator vs. The desire to publish (before anyone else does) with science presented as a race to the finish line, sorta crosses its own lines to defy its own logic:
1. It want to protect the sole creator - do good science 2. It wants to warn against making bad science, warn against early publication 3. Science is mostly done via other people's money 4. So science is something that is always a product to market and sell - so it IS a race, and you have to get there first
And it kinda solves the whole issue with a fine word call leverage, which in this case is simply blackmail - just to prevent the scientist from paying too high a price for "doing the right thing", thus ending the movie on a good note. As it also tries not to take itself too seriously - through its employment of stereotypical lead characters.
Despite my greviances, I did however give it 7.8, because it is a really romantic notion, this about the sole creator, who learns a little bit about cooperation, ambitious old-age and Asberger youth teaming up. And its well acted by all main character, AND
THE SOUNDTRACK IS AMAZING! The composer is called SONAIRE - and you know, when sometimes you hear a soundtrack and you turn off the sound and the visuals become flat and grey, and you know the sound is just an attempt to lift the film, but failing. NOT so here: To me it feels as if the composers loved the film and they used every ounce of available option to integrate and lift and make LARGER the visual side in such a way that it should have won an award for this integration to something higher than its parts. Because it is AMAZING! And more than a little depressing that I can find no trace of them apart from Soundcloud and Facebook. Maybe you will have better luck!
On with your headphones and CRANK IT UP!
7.8/10.
But, don't worry - it IS! :-)
The trope is tried - the sudden advancement of intellectual capacity. Flowers for Algernon is probably the saddest, as it explores both the loss of innocence and the loss of gained intellectual prowess. QUANTA is however not interested in the actual gain of mental acuity - at least no more than to say high mental facility equals loss of empathy and proper social codes - duh! - but rather explores the actual cost of doing science today as mentioned above. How you cannot NOT own your idea, but someone can own YOU and gag your and tie your hand and foot and prevent you from influencing your creation. As such it criticises every capitalist institution from publisher to streamer, to paid exhibitions and IKEA and more - all institutions, whose contribution seem to be less about emotional, intellectual, soulfull content and more about making investors money.
This, however, may be an image of an old-fashioned ideal of the Maker/Creator as a singular individual - while today very few people can hope to create something and then test its value on recipients, display its use to the world, market it, sell it, to singlehandedly reap the profits - be that acclaim or money or both. Most research and creation today is done in teams - and as such the movie's idea of Lonely creator vs. The desire to publish (before anyone else does) with science presented as a race to the finish line, sorta crosses its own lines to defy its own logic:
1. It want to protect the sole creator - do good science 2. It wants to warn against making bad science, warn against early publication 3. Science is mostly done via other people's money 4. So science is something that is always a product to market and sell - so it IS a race, and you have to get there first
And it kinda solves the whole issue with a fine word call leverage, which in this case is simply blackmail - just to prevent the scientist from paying too high a price for "doing the right thing", thus ending the movie on a good note. As it also tries not to take itself too seriously - through its employment of stereotypical lead characters.
Despite my greviances, I did however give it 7.8, because it is a really romantic notion, this about the sole creator, who learns a little bit about cooperation, ambitious old-age and Asberger youth teaming up. And its well acted by all main character, AND
THE SOUNDTRACK IS AMAZING! The composer is called SONAIRE - and you know, when sometimes you hear a soundtrack and you turn off the sound and the visuals become flat and grey, and you know the sound is just an attempt to lift the film, but failing. NOT so here: To me it feels as if the composers loved the film and they used every ounce of available option to integrate and lift and make LARGER the visual side in such a way that it should have won an award for this integration to something higher than its parts. Because it is AMAZING! And more than a little depressing that I can find no trace of them apart from Soundcloud and Facebook. Maybe you will have better luck!
On with your headphones and CRANK IT UP!
7.8/10.
Great movie
vistosobenny17 September 2019
Intelligent science fiction - what a concept!
DavidBarak23 January 2021
After watching one bad science fiction film after another, I was pleased when I found Quanta - I was very impressed. It's apparently a micro-budget film and if that's the case then the team did an excellent job with meager resources.
This isn't an over-the-top film like a lot of others; it's obvious a lot of care was put into this to make it a story that could easily have been plucked from the real world. The attitudes and emotions of scientific researchers seems on-the-nose and the lab setting and experimental equipment looks like something you'd actually find in a university lab instead of a mad scientist's lair.
I'm much more a fan of realistic science fiction because the filmmakers have to craft a compelling story within much tighter parameters than with the more flamboyant films. Having realistic constraints keeps me "in" the story; those films where anything goes just don't have the same impact for me. Quanta kept me involved in the story for sure.
The acting is top-notch, as is the cinematography, audio and art direction. Quanta looks like a film an A-list cast and crew would create. I hope Nathan Dalton and his team turn out another film soon.
This isn't an over-the-top film like a lot of others; it's obvious a lot of care was put into this to make it a story that could easily have been plucked from the real world. The attitudes and emotions of scientific researchers seems on-the-nose and the lab setting and experimental equipment looks like something you'd actually find in a university lab instead of a mad scientist's lair.
I'm much more a fan of realistic science fiction because the filmmakers have to craft a compelling story within much tighter parameters than with the more flamboyant films. Having realistic constraints keeps me "in" the story; those films where anything goes just don't have the same impact for me. Quanta kept me involved in the story for sure.
The acting is top-notch, as is the cinematography, audio and art direction. Quanta looks like a film an A-list cast and crew would create. I hope Nathan Dalton and his team turn out another film soon.
Wow, fantastic!
hannah-136967 July 2020
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