It’s always a risk when someone decides to name a film something like this. And I’m going to have to come out and say it now. This film did not make as much ‘perfect sense’ as I was hoping it would.
When I put this film on I thought, two great actors, a lot of money behind it, a storyline that makes you think. What could go wrong? I’ll answer that for you now. Everything and nothing.
Let me first start with the plot. Suddenly people all around the world start crying. A lot. They then lose their sense of smell. Pretty annoying right? Oh wait you’re going to be even more pissed off when you lose all of your other senses (touch funnily enough is missed out). I know these ‘end of the world’ films are pretty popular, Contagion being a prime example. But a part of me thinks, if you’re going to depress people, at least make it dramatic. Let there be chemical warfare, mutations and Will Smith roaming the mean streets with his loyal dog. Don’t make a film that is going to depress me about the world ending, it would be depressing enough as it is without being unable to smell, taste, hear or see!
In principal having a storyline that is a bit different to all the other apocalypse films is good. I like a film that makes me think and I relish a mental challenge but I just didn’t connect with the storyline and at some points found it pretentious. Add to this mix Eva Green and Ewan McGregor and a budding romance and it became a little bit stale. The film focuses too much on them having a lot of sex, getting angry at each other because of the ‘disease’ and then having a lot more sex. The world could have been returning to normal but we wouldn’t know about it because Ewan McGregor’s arse and Eva Green’s tits are the focal points. (I know I shouldn’t be complaining).
One minute there is chaos on the streets and people are running around confused. The next minute the streets are desolate with no real explanation as to what’s going on.
I sit here and I think about the 89 minutes I have just spent being told that we’ve lost touch with ourselves and how it isn’t the end of the world that is devastating, but that of losing our senses of who we are and I just think. Who cares? This film hasn’t made me appreciate my senses any more than I already did. In fact it made me want to lose my ability to hear or see just to save me from any more of the rambling pretentious narrations that seem to pop up every 10 minutes and lecture me on how ungrateful I am about being able to smell, taste, hear and see!
I’ve sat writing this review and ranted about all that is wrong with this film, but that’s what makes this film good too! It may be pretentious, it may have a weak storyline with characters that you don’t connect to and far more sex than is necesarry for a film of this subject but it’s different, its sobering and it’s intelligent.
I’m torn between saying it is the worst piece of drivel I have seen in a long time (please refer to Sand Sharks Review) and saying what a refreshing change it is to have a world disaster film that doesn’t end with everybody living happily ever after.
Whatever you do, if you watch this film, embrace the emotions that you feel when watching. Let yourself love some parts and hate others. Just be thankful that it is able to provoke a reaction and doesn’t make you feel numb! (Please refer to Sand Sharks Review).
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