Chrysalis

Rialto

DV1
R4 DVD

Chrysalis is a haunting science fiction crime tale which resonates with the imagery of Total Recall, Blade Runner and even A Clockwork Orange. It has a strange visual presence, a moody score and beautiful cinematography.

As the film opens, it is the year 2020 and a high tech surgeon and her daughter are in a horrific car accident. Obsessed with saving her daughters “consciousness”, the surgeon makes a terrible deal to get access to a machine which can transfer memories from one body to another. However, this desperate act in a time of grief has far reaching consequences since the machine was stolen from the military and is now in the hands of the mob which demands a high price for its continued use.

Detective Hoffman is in hot pursuit of Nicolov, who has stolen the machine and seems responsible for many brutal murders. However, in a dramatic scene his partner is killed and he is shot. Damaged goods, he is still nevertheless let back on the case and assigned a new partner, Marie, to investigate the girl’s murder. While he realizes her uncle is in “Euro Intelligence” he doesn’t appreciate just how compromised his investigation really is.

As the story unfolds he uncovers the links between the clinic run by the grief stricken Professor Brügen, the mob and the connections with the military. If a machine can clean, replace or transfer memory imagine its dangers if it fell in the wrong hands.

Paris in 2020 is much like it is today but has a dark, cyberpunk sort of look, it is clearly a world dominated by technology. The cinematography emphasizes this cold feel with lots of mirror shots, reflective surfaces and an emphasis on glass and steel.

While the acting is solid, Dupontel as Hoffman, the punch-first-ask-questions-later detective is especially impressive. The film on the whole, however, has little emotion. This is a bit of a problem when you consider that the major theme is the grief stricken doctor and her attempt to transform a kidnapped girl into her daughter.

The film has some extremely visceral action sequences including the violent confrontation between Marie, Dupontel and Nicolov’s brother (who they believed is Nicolov) in the police station and the one-on-one between Nicolov and Dupontel in his bathroom. There are also some impressive and unexpected turns, especially the one involving Nicolov’s twin brother.

At the same time the film does seem to regularly lag, there are long periods marked by mood and style which are punctuated by explosive action but not often enough to really keep you fully engaged.

Chrysalis marks an impressive debut for Leclercq which certainly stands out from more traditional sci fi fare and while it is not perfect; it is stylish, dark, moody and well worth watching.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No.1 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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