Cineception

**  Watched for free on PLEX  **

I’ve seen enough of Ron Howard, endured enough of his craft. An average filmmaker is what he is. He’s not good at what he does. Well sometimes there’s a rare breakthrough.  [ 63 ] In the deep pool of mediocrity he swims in, there is a small garden of Eden. He found his rhythm it seems. Good and trashy at the same time, but a spiritual ride, a survival fantasy, a toying medium of humanity’s nature, served with unpolished symbolism as a side. Based on the real-life saga of European settlers attempting to colonize Floreana island in the Galápagos, it showcases what happens when utopian dreams turn into psychological warfare.  Could Ron Howard imitate Aronofsky? The writing is one of his more sound perspectives, a retroflex to the failure in his execution (just a tiny one a believe). The island in focus is an untouched paradise that becomes corrupted by human flaws. Three groups of settlers arrive with idealism, seeking rebirth and escape from postwar trauma. However, much like in Genesis, their attempt to live in harmony with nature is undone by ego, desire, control and power struggles - reflecting the collapse of man.  Jude Law’s character is a Nietzschean follower and self-professed man of reason. He represents scientific rationalism, isolationism, and stoicism. But his body’s decay, in which he loses all his teeth, and his leadership disintegration, moral compromise too, all symbolize the limits of enlightenment thinking when detached from empathy or community. Ana De Armas’s Baroness introduces chaos, she’s the tempter who undermines harmony. The serpent is also she. On one hand, her exaggerated “villainy” mirrors how patriarchal narratives often demonize powerful women. She’s hot, I get it. She plays her role just alright. On the other hand, she outperforms Vanessa Kirby and makes her look miniature. Kirby is the ultimate weakling, but she fits best in the criteria of the island. Then we have Daniel Brühl, who does the best German accent amongst the other 5 simply because he came from blood. Considering he’s only slightly better, and the whole cast are speaking their personal innovation, suggests maybe he speaks Spanish more fluently, or perhaps his Spanish sounds Irish. Who knows? The single standout performance is Sydney Sweeney’s change of persona. No longer a thicc mommy figure, she embraces an adorable and innocent femininity. She’s grounded, maternal, and pragmatic - in contrast with theatrics and philosophical points. Her range exceeds the emotionally volatile or seductive roots, and dominates the story in her internal quietness. Visually, Eden is committed but uninspired, it sure has competent cinematography that serves the atmosphere without elevating it. The music choices are meh. Dialogue in the film is the weakest muscle, stuffed with faux-philosophical rambling and hollow existentialism that neither deepens character nor advances narrative. Which also gives birth to the pretentious cleverness of Ron Howard. De Armas kinda sucked but I’ve ranted about her before so she gets a pass. The pacing, while not sharp, is at least stable, giving the illusion of narrative momentum even when scenes feel adrift. Eden is an ugly film with a color palette relying on scorched yellows and ash greys. If there’s anything to hate and love at the same time, this is the juice. And Jude Law is the most expensive fruit.

“No, it isn’t a remake. . . .” Explain how coincidental that in both films - The Driver (1978) and Drive (2011), the driver role is played by a real-life ‘Ryan’. Let that sink in.

[ 92 ]  One of the most fabulous crime dramas ever made. There, I said it.