2000s SF film

[peteryoung]

Eden Log, 2007, France   DIRECTED BY FRANCK VESTIEL
A man named Tolbiac wakes up in what looks like an abandoned complex deep underground, and while he battles his way to the surface he discovers the nature of his situation and in what way he is exceptional to it. At first viewing this is clearly a challenging yet also highly original genre movie, and is doubly impressive because of the peculiar difficulties that need to be overcome in getting a science fiction film made in France in the first place. The look and feel of Eden Log's 'mis en scène' is heavily important in every way to the point of complete saturation, and its dark sets are echoed in the nature of the screenplay, which gives little away in terms of the story ahead from whatever point of the film you happen to be at: the viewer only ever knows as much as Tolbiac knows – which begins with absolutely nothing – so when being thrown into a situation one doesn't understand it's necessary for the viewer to pay attention if one is to be able to give shape to this world from which Tolbiac is emerging. But after the first half-hour of mostly dialogue-free action in claustrophobic situations a little relief comes in the form of the female character known as the Last Botanist, who interacts uncomfortably with Tolbiac yet is able to provide some direction and explanation of what he needs to do, but you still need to keep focussed because his journey isn't over yet.

To say more about the plot of Eden Log than this bare minimum would probably be to go against the director's intent. It feels like a multi-level role-playing game in the nature of Tolbiac's quest, and the screenplay and visual style reinforce this. I'd call Eden Log a qualified success because it's never easy to figure out how the story is actually developing towards a conclusion, but, going back to those problems of French genre films having difficulty in finding their audiences, it will only ever be recognised as a cult film and then only by those who appreciate how it actually does with few flaws what it sets out to do. I admire this movie for its consistent visual style and its subtextual consideration of social underclasses, but mostly I admire it for its use of metaphor and how Franck Vestiel plays mind games with the viewer. Plus, it must have been a very difficult vision to realise.

(Cross-posted with cult_movie)

Comments

[dan-golem.livejournal.com]

Sounds interesting, so I put this film on my Lovefilm list, wondering why I'd never heard of it before. Then I took a look at the third 'most helpful' review. In its entirety it read: 'I thought this film was rubbish.'

[peteyoung.livejournal.com]

A skim-viewer! Rubbish it certainly isn't, but if you don't consider the film as a whole (ie. needing a couple of viewings to let its point sink in) it's true, it will probably leave you a bit baffled.