Kosmos |
UK • 2015 • 82:15m •
It is the near future and research scientist Philip Hoyt's wife is dying, quietly. As she lies in a deep coma, Philip battles to save her life when everyone else is ready to let her go. Using a newly developed technology, he steps across an electronic bridge into her unconscious; into her dreams and memories, probing buried 'psi-complexes' to discover the mystery of her illness, and her families reluctance to help. Yet, through the veil of this mystery, he catches a faint glimmer of life. He holds on for the sake of love, unable to turn away from that distant star we call hope.
   . • Starring: Jeff Dahlgren, Virginia Hey, Terry Molloy, Andreea Paduraru, Eline Van der Velden, Marc Zammit, Fabian Bolin, Jon Campling, Valentina Fedonos, Cara Bamford, Sarah Alexandra Marks, David Avery, Roger Carvalho.. |
Review:
The dramatic crux of this battle between life & death, the fragility of one's place in this universe, in this Kosmos, is brought sharply into focus in a masterful way by this filmmaker.
Opening frames of planets spinning on axis within a vast expanse of space combine with the hauntingly ethereal music to contribute a sophisticated entrée into this film. To attempt to paint your canvas, against such a giant in terms of a complexity of dynamics is inspiring. The director forges his initial steps quite tentatively, and despite a slight contraction of dynamics within the first few frames, he dives directly into the depths of this impasse with subtlety and style, in the fore-running scenes of this web series.
This is an inspiring canvas from this Director. The director creates a riptide of intrigue frame by frame. Conflicts within relationships, shifting tension like an undulating tide settling darkly below the horizon. Undercurrents of tension, shape-shifting complexities, between characters, rippling away malevolently, beneath an otherwise calm surface. These are key moments of sophisticated perception.
As we stand aligned with characters, contemplating casual links behind conflict, there is recognition that tempestuous designs, dark motives, lurk beneath, an ultimate battle within the cosmos. As the ensuing action develops, with it, an increased tension, a sense of presence, juxtaposition of chaos & disorder, in this otherworldly sci-fi mystery. The director develops tension; increasingly layer upon layer, producing an authentic commonality of connection, his method provocatively creates bonds of significance with his audience.
It's that controversial trajectory between science fiction and science fact. With contemporary science researchers currently exploring routes to developing effective diagnostic tools to detect residual signs of life in patients perceived to be in an otherwise persistent vegetative state, this implies an ever widening of the perceived boundaries between life and death, an expansion of possibilities.
Kosmos is provocative & intriguing in the sense that it touches on an exploration of issues currently under debate by bio ethicists and philosophers alike. A commonality between audience & ensuing action is pervasive. It's effectively that casual link on the fragility of human life. Wherein the battle between detecting signs of life, cuts deep into the psyche. At this intersection, philosophy of consciousness, it's end and its ultimate end, our place in the universe.
This film thematic visits ethical questions for humanity -' life is a battle and the battle between detecting signs of life cuts deep to the psyche, our place in the universe, consciousness, addressing a Pandora's box of questions. 'What If? What if there is residual consciousness? With promising performances by the cast, including -' Jeff Dahlgren, Eline Van der Velden, Marc Zammit, Terry Molloy, Virginia Hey, Andreea Padurau, Fabian Bolin, Jon Campling.
At the end scene of the first series, Hexagonal Glasses (Jon Campling) comes into shot, having emerged from shadows above the townscape. Staring up towards the vast expanse of space, (perhaps) insightfully reaching way beyond, with one hybrid all Seeing Eye, the sentient glare of reflection caught on the iris, gazing out into a limitless pool of this universe.
Kosmos pulls an audience into the heart of this world in a way that is provocatively engaging. If the precipice of between life & death the boundaries are not limited to that place that we once assumed. If emergent developmental technologies can be successfully implemented in the clinical field, to detect residual signs of life, where none previously were presumed to occur, this represents a vast expansion in boundaries that is potentially shifted even further out. If plummeting the depths of inner worlds of comatose patients were not enough. In the recovery of consciousness and recovery of function. The next question in this journey is if & how might a walker between these worlds be brought back? Then What If' becomes a most exciting & provocative question.
Will be watching with positive anticipation for series two of Kosmos, to see how this highly commendable Macchevellian sci-fi mystery continues
Review by paintboxtiger from the Internet Movie Database.
Movie Database