Code 46 (2003)
Country: GB/US
Technical: col 93m
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Jeanne Balibar, Om Puri
Synopsis:
In a society of the future, progressive in vitro conception has necessitated draconian laws governing degrees of match in the genes of the parents, known as a Code 46 if it is witting. When a clairvoyant state official goes to Shanghai to investigate a breakdown in 'cover' security (the means by which it is permitted to travel), he meets, detects, protects and falls in love with the culprit, who it turns out could be a twin.
Review:
A film it takes a lot longer to explain than it does to deliver, always a bad sign. Ostensibly it is about a narrowing gene pool, though the dangers of this are not discussed, nor are its causes explained; similarly the aridity of the land around Shanghai, or the Esperanto-style language base, which is strictly Romance save for the occasional 'Ni hao'. Then again, it is a dystopian thriller in the manner of Brazil, Gattaca, Minority Report, though one curiously devoid of thrills or suspense. And finally it is a love story that we never quite buy into, all the more since in one partner's case we are supposed to buy into it twice. No doubt part of the director's laudable wish to stay fresh by making a film in every genre, it feels somewhat tick-box, although it looks good and the locations director deserves credit.
Country: GB/US
Technical: col 93m
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Jeanne Balibar, Om Puri
Synopsis:
In a society of the future, progressive in vitro conception has necessitated draconian laws governing degrees of match in the genes of the parents, known as a Code 46 if it is witting. When a clairvoyant state official goes to Shanghai to investigate a breakdown in 'cover' security (the means by which it is permitted to travel), he meets, detects, protects and falls in love with the culprit, who it turns out could be a twin.
Review:
A film it takes a lot longer to explain than it does to deliver, always a bad sign. Ostensibly it is about a narrowing gene pool, though the dangers of this are not discussed, nor are its causes explained; similarly the aridity of the land around Shanghai, or the Esperanto-style language base, which is strictly Romance save for the occasional 'Ni hao'. Then again, it is a dystopian thriller in the manner of Brazil, Gattaca, Minority Report, though one curiously devoid of thrills or suspense. And finally it is a love story that we never quite buy into, all the more since in one partner's case we are supposed to buy into it twice. No doubt part of the director's laudable wish to stay fresh by making a film in every genre, it feels somewhat tick-box, although it looks good and the locations director deserves credit.
Country: GB/US
Technical: col 93m
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Jeanne Balibar, Om Puri
Synopsis:
In a society of the future, progressive in vitro conception has necessitated draconian laws governing degrees of match in the genes of the parents, known as a Code 46 if it is witting. When a clairvoyant state official goes to Shanghai to investigate a breakdown in 'cover' security (the means by which it is permitted to travel), he meets, detects, protects and falls in love with the culprit, who it turns out could be a twin.
Review:
A film it takes a lot longer to explain than it does to deliver, always a bad sign. Ostensibly it is about a narrowing gene pool, though the dangers of this are not discussed, nor are its causes explained; similarly the aridity of the land around Shanghai, or the Esperanto-style language base, which is strictly Romance save for the occasional 'Ni hao'. Then again, it is a dystopian thriller in the manner of Brazil, Gattaca, Minority Report, though one curiously devoid of thrills or suspense. And finally it is a love story that we never quite buy into, all the more since in one partner's case we are supposed to buy into it twice. No doubt part of the director's laudable wish to stay fresh by making a film in every genre, it feels somewhat tick-box, although it looks good and the locations director deserves credit.