A neurological research scientist along with his
able team set out to perform a bold experiment that would open new doors
in scientific and technological advances. They intend to connect with
the mind of a human subject, a comatose patient and try and gain
access to the person's thoughts in the unconscious state. Why
necessarily a comatose person? Since his/her brain activity is minimal
and that would reduce the burden on the data processing, for the
experiment is in a rudimentary stage.
A
very familiar sounding premise, one would say, that immediately brings
to mind Christopher Nolan's blockbuster, "Inception" (2010) and Tarsem
Singh's Jennifer Lopez starrer, "The Cell" (2000), but any doubts about
sameness and plagiarism are laid to rest as the plot thickens and enters
darker territories that explore the moral debasement of protagonists
with shades of grey, in this fascinating new film from Lithuanian
filmmaker, Kristina Buozyte. She, along with Bruno Samper tap the
basest of human instincts and take us to the innermost recesses of the
psyche.
Scientist
Lukas (Marius Jampolskis) volunteers to connect to the mind of a
subject whose identity is unknown to him. The connection happens through
some neural networks, the technological aspects of which, are of
course, supposed to be taken at face value! With several wires connected
to Lukas' bald head, he descends into a black monolith-like tank where
he feels some sonic waves and witnesses random patterns. But before he
knows it, he finds himself swimming in a vast sea in another world - the
mind of the subject! But what are these things he sees? Are they the
subject's thoughts? Dreams? Memories? Or a mix of everything?
In
that outlandish universe, Lukas encounters a beautiful girl, Aurora
(Jurga Jutaite) with whom he develops an instant sensory connection that
leads to a wild, sexual liaison! Back to the real world, Lukas knows
deep within that the experiment is a grand success. He indeed did
experience something extremely tangible and tempting, almost sinful! A
hunger for more makes him withhold his observations from his colleagues
and things take a turn for the worse as Lukas makes new discoveries in
his psychic odyssey.
Bruno
Samper, credited as the writer and visual effects creative supervisor,
and director Kristina Buozyte do take inspiration from older sources,
but manage to create a fascinating as well as eerie dreamscape that
genuinely feels like the product of a messed up, lonely mind, rather
than a fantastical utopia. A vast open sea and not a soul around other
than this couple can't help but remind of Andrei Tarkovsky's "Solaris"
(1972). There's a large house made of what looks like shredded paper;
somewhat like a playhouse. The house tilts and rolls around like an
amusement park ride as the couple indulge in a playful naked romp amid
an operatic score, a strange kind of joy visible of their visages! At
times there, the sun across the dark sea looks extra crimson and expands
and contracts, as if it has a life of its own!
There
is a lot to cheer for lovers of trippy visuals. The depiction of the
inner world offers a variety of maddening images, many of which are
sexually charged, including one shocking scene in which the bodies of
several people involved in an orgy, literally fuse together in a
Cronenberg-esque body horror moment! The colors change like a vivid
kaleidoscope, with some moody scenes depicted with a red hue, and other
cheerful moments in bright white. Food items look odd and grotesque with
their dirty colors and ugly texture, and a happy dining dream moment
turns into a bizarre nightmare. Images blur and sometimes characters
find themselves in isolated theaters…!
Where
Buozyte's film scores as compared to some earlier films dealing with a
similar concept is in how the events are a result of twisted character
motivations triggered by seduction. Buozyte accurately captures basic
human instincts, desires and normal mental characteristics. The lead
character Lukas is in a cold marital relationship, and that becomes
clear at the outset. However, it is only natural that he has a
reservation in sharing the lurid, erotic adventures with the mystery
girl. It would put a stop to the experiments for ethical reasons, and
hence deprive him of more chances at indulging in the torrid and
tantalizing affair in the mind! An addiction that develops owing to
sexual impulses hinders reason and sound judgement as Lukas chooses to
lie to his fellow scientists. The mission of the experiment takes a
backseat as he uses his gateway into the dream world for his own vested interests of lust.
Lukas
tastes blood with this girl in the dream and the moment he is asked to
take a break for a few days from the experiment, all hell breaks loose
and he exhibits some disturbing withdrawal symptoms! That's some
genuinely clever writing that showcases the animalistic traits exhibited
by Lukas and makes his character all the more real. Tender moments of
romance sometimes take an obsessive turn and we are treated to a Gaspar
Noe-esque ultraviolent moment!
The
proceedings are quite arresting, thanks to the fabulous visuals, a
sublime, electric score, and taut writing that offers some
extraordinary, imaginative surreal sequences that leave the viewer
wanting more, and waiting with bated breath, each time Lukas enters the
black tank to disappear into the subject's mind. While some
performances are flat, and Marius Jampolskis is a tad inconsistent, it
is Jurga Jutaite that stands out with her diverse act. This is the
performance to watch out for in this film. The final act leaves the
viewer with some questions with visual clues thrown about. Thankfully
the director chooses not to spoon-feed the audience as she takes the
film to its bittersweet culmination.
Make
sure you add "Vanishing Waves" to your watch list. It is the devil's
temptation that begs for your indulgence and promises not to leave your
mind for a while.
Score: 9/10
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