Sci-Fi and Film Noir is an interesting mix of genres. Terminator did it best, A Dark Matter has done it well too. It's just that the later is a slower ride revolving around darker characters rather than running from a futuristic machine. This is not a simple narrative, that sometimes reaches out to the likes of David Lynch. More recent David Cronenberg comes to mind too. Yet, here in may lie a little problem with A Dark Matter, whereas Lynch and Cronenberg movies massage our entertainment factor with nudity so they can tell their strange stories, A Dark Matter only teases us and still expects us to concentrate on the complex plot. Why don't we see Eve in the buff? This would at least bring some credibility to her somewhat stiff acting. How about the protagonist's girlfriend Laura? (Actually there is one scene where we get a glimpse, but not what we really want). This seems justified considering the amount of sex that moves the plot forward. Perhaps this is from a male's point of view, but I'm probably just saying what's on others' minds.
6 Reviews
Tiresomely cerebral
Leofwine_draca16 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
A DARK MATTER is an indie thriller from Canada exploring the sci-fi genre. It goes for a cerebral approach but something is lost in the translation from ideas to screen because the end result is deathly dull and completely insubstantial. A guy's girlfriend leaves him and he goes crazy, that's the basic plot of the thing, but the story feels lifeless and lacking in energy and momentum to keep it moving along. In terms of effects, there are some cool contact lenses but that's about it.
The devil drinks strawberry milkshake
j_smith_713 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
OK, someone got way too big for their boots. That someone is the director of this baloney - James Naylor. (Who - surprisingly unapologetically - also openly lays claim to producing and writing this piffle). Now, before I go on to elaborate about A Dark Matter, let me start by saying I'm not so tuned into reality and only reality not to allow a bit of fantasy and 'dark forces at work' to come along once in a while in a film and allow myself to follow that path to see where it might lead the viewer. And, of course, every film has its Grinch. You know what I mean - The director takes a certain tone of voice. Dishes out a thinly veiled 'plot' while hoping the viewer will pick up on the dark, nosy question hidden somewhere in the middle of...well...something. It can work (Donnie Darko) or it can fail (District 9, Chappie, Don Jon). At the very least, however, win or fail, these films had something to cling to from the get go.
And there's the rub. A Dark Matter has nothing to cling to. Nothing at all. It takes the viewer nowhere because there was never any place to go with this. It is not a cul-de-sac, rather it's a 'Road Closed for Construction'. Its fundamental problem is, it does not know what it is. Oh, and please don't tell me it's a hybrid of styles...noir, plus sci-fi, plus mystery thriller, plus future dystopic world...it isn't...it's an utter mess of styles. Indeed, for a while, I thought it was becoming a musical...seriously...the female lead (played with all the enthusiasm of someone undergoing chemotherapy on an intensive care unit by Shauna Bradley) kept bursting into song every ten minutes with dreary, 'now you're gone how can I go on' torch songs that start la-la-la'ing after the first vacuous verse. (Oh, they were bad). Or, I expected the lead male character, Angus (stoically played by Daniel Briere given the crap he had to handle both by way of the script and via the direction-less story) to avenge this cruel world and become a crusading dark knight. Instead, what we got was a man in a white suit (called 'the Al-BY-no') with an accent which refused to settle anywhere between German, Scottish and Danish who wanted to take people's eyes. Yeah their eyes...why? Pfff! Not a clue. Then there was the wannabe detective with a fetish. A tattoo artist who had nothing to do with anything. And, in the middle of all of this was the femme fatale, Eve (Ah...Eve...the first woman...oh Mr Writer/Director, you're so clever) played by Alexa Cortez/Ashiko Westguard. Full credit to this lady - she deserves an award. For wooden performance of the year. (Pout lips, squint eyes, show cleavage...repeat...repeat...repeat...repeat) Anyway, I'll let the Forestry Commission know about giving the award to her. And then there was an assorted bunch of other low grade actors who, in fairness, did their best to make something out of nothing and promptly made nothing out of nothing.
So, to get to a point here - Mr. Naylor. No. You hear me? NO. Pick up your life, take what you learned from this film (i.e. how NOT to make a movie that is not some masturbatory half-constructed hotch-potch of esoteric ideas), say sorry to your audience, get a job in a warehouse for two years and then make a film about the real people you met there. I'll watch it even if it is only a 5% improvement on A Dark Matter. Because I won't be watching A Dark Matter again...ever.
And there's the rub. A Dark Matter has nothing to cling to. Nothing at all. It takes the viewer nowhere because there was never any place to go with this. It is not a cul-de-sac, rather it's a 'Road Closed for Construction'. Its fundamental problem is, it does not know what it is. Oh, and please don't tell me it's a hybrid of styles...noir, plus sci-fi, plus mystery thriller, plus future dystopic world...it isn't...it's an utter mess of styles. Indeed, for a while, I thought it was becoming a musical...seriously...the female lead (played with all the enthusiasm of someone undergoing chemotherapy on an intensive care unit by Shauna Bradley) kept bursting into song every ten minutes with dreary, 'now you're gone how can I go on' torch songs that start la-la-la'ing after the first vacuous verse. (Oh, they were bad). Or, I expected the lead male character, Angus (stoically played by Daniel Briere given the crap he had to handle both by way of the script and via the direction-less story) to avenge this cruel world and become a crusading dark knight. Instead, what we got was a man in a white suit (called 'the Al-BY-no') with an accent which refused to settle anywhere between German, Scottish and Danish who wanted to take people's eyes. Yeah their eyes...why? Pfff! Not a clue. Then there was the wannabe detective with a fetish. A tattoo artist who had nothing to do with anything. And, in the middle of all of this was the femme fatale, Eve (Ah...Eve...the first woman...oh Mr Writer/Director, you're so clever) played by Alexa Cortez/Ashiko Westguard. Full credit to this lady - she deserves an award. For wooden performance of the year. (Pout lips, squint eyes, show cleavage...repeat...repeat...repeat...repeat) Anyway, I'll let the Forestry Commission know about giving the award to her. And then there was an assorted bunch of other low grade actors who, in fairness, did their best to make something out of nothing and promptly made nothing out of nothing.
So, to get to a point here - Mr. Naylor. No. You hear me? NO. Pick up your life, take what you learned from this film (i.e. how NOT to make a movie that is not some masturbatory half-constructed hotch-potch of esoteric ideas), say sorry to your audience, get a job in a warehouse for two years and then make a film about the real people you met there. I'll watch it even if it is only a 5% improvement on A Dark Matter. Because I won't be watching A Dark Matter again...ever.
A freaky story
jesse-7252320 April 2015
This is a freaky story with some ideas that totally messed with my head. The music is great and really ties the story together. The first half hour or so is kind of a slow-burn while we get to know everyone. Even though the main characters are quite beautiful, the main guy seems like a pretty generic lead and the girl who plays Eve seems like she's reciting lines from a book. The main girlfriend was strangely good though. I really loved the secondary characters best. I think they made the ordinary world turn that much more crazy. For an independent movie, it looks pretty good and the special FX are simple enough that they aren't distracting. Once going, the story moves well, keeping us interested with twists and turns. It made me think, which is more than I can say for most Hollywood flicks.
Canada has a new Master of Suspense!
die_j_mars15 April 2014
James Naylor's original thriller, A Dark Matter, explores the psychomachy of our hero in a way that causes us to sit on the edge of our seats, begging to know what's next. It's a dark ride that plays on the use of narrative as intelligently as the early Twilight Zone series. Right when we think we know what's going on, the plot gets twisted. Beautifully shot with a cast of upcoming actors who greatly execute their lines. The love relationships between the actors seem genuine and nothing seems contrived. Even the minimal use of special effects seem top notch at a Hollywood level, putting us in a surreal Bunuel world and conjuring symbolism to further subplots, ever deepening our story. The result is a film with a great deal of thought that has gone into the story. I highly recommend this movie for all lovers of suspense, sci-fi and horror genres.
A refreshing and complex story
simmonsdaryl3918 April 2014
Indie movies are becoming more complex with deep subjects that trend to overtake the campy Hollywood simplistic "lowest common denominator" approach. A Dark Matter is one of these films. It's obvious every action and line is important to telling the story. The story, which questions our perception. In the hero's case, Angus' perception revolves around his everyday life relationships and his art work; painting. This is where the complexity begins. You have to watch carefully and upon a second viewing, I picked up so much more.
A Dark Matter delves into the mind of the artist. The classic double, black widow, murder and confusion set a film noir mystery that keeps us guessing until the end. The pay off isn't what you discover though, but the journey itself.
I really enjoyed this movie, although I don't' think it's for everyone – lowest common denominator it isn't as it still creeps into my mind.
A Dark Matter delves into the mind of the artist. The classic double, black widow, murder and confusion set a film noir mystery that keeps us guessing until the end. The pay off isn't what you discover though, but the journey itself.
I really enjoyed this movie, although I don't' think it's for everyone – lowest common denominator it isn't as it still creeps into my mind.
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