Reminiscence

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Reminiscence is a sci-fi thriller set in a future that has been ravaged by climate change and war, oceans have risen and cities sprawl just afloat of the waterline. Nick Bannister is the owner of a machine known as the Reminiscence, a device that allows individuals a perfect glimpse back into their past. After falling in love with a former client, Nick falls into an obsessive state after the woman he loves mysteriously disappears. I didn't know how to judge this film at first, at first it felt like a sci-fi film was smashed together with a noir film, but once you get past this teething in the first act you are in for something that is utterly gripping. The world of Reminiscence is one brimming with class struggle, addiction and desperation; so it isn't surprising that people run to the past for reassurance here. When Nick loses Mae the film tilts and becomes a whole new animal. Suddenly our protagonist is addicted to the past, the love he had and the search he has started. The mystery in this film is really gripping because you watch how much it pulls the protagonist apart the closer he comes to the truth. The path he finds himself going down is so much more perilous ever time until he pushes past a point that he can never truly return from. The emotional confession that is the climax of the film between Nick and the memory of Mae is something that really pulls at the heartstrings, laying everything out. I think the final act of this feature worked incredibly hard to prove how clever the storyline is and how well done the emotional underpinnings of the narrative are. The cinematography captures stunning special effects vistas while also captivating you with a number of engaging shots in scenes that hold one setting for a long time. The special effects throughout this film are extremely subtle and well-detailed, I loved how they constructed a flooded world and seeing how they sculpted the Reminiscence machine projections. The score for the film is really enchanting, it pulls you deep into Nick's mania and then shatters your heart in those final few tracks.

 

Hugh Jackman, who played Nick Bannister, makes for a great protagonist to watch and takes us on a really gripping character journey; Jackman's depiction of obsession and emotional breakdown in the final act is exquisite to watch. Rebecca Ferguson, who played Mae, is quite an intriguing performance that really dedicates to the long game; Ferguson's big final proclamation of love to Jackman at the end of the feature is one of the best scenes in the film. Marina de Tavira, who played Tamara Sylvan, is quite a brilliant performance in such a few scenes; de Tavira's ability to portray a character who weaves between being trapped in the past and entirely lucid is wonderful. Daniel Wu, who played Saint Joe, is fantastic as one of the minor antagonists of the film; Wu really doubles down on the unique New Orleans crime boss figure and it only enhances the sci-fi world.

However, the best performance came from Thandiwe Newton, who played Emily 'Watts' Sanders. This is a role who really steals the show from her introduction at the top of the feature. Newton portrays a woman with a hard edge, someone who clearly lives with a guard up. Having survived multiple military tours, a workplace accident, estranging her daughter and battling with alcohol it is more than clear to see why Watts has such a tough exterior. The only individual that this seems a little lighter around is Jackman's Nick; the pair have a loyal friendship that brings out a lot of open honesty in the shared dialogue. I loved seeing Newton steadily unpack the trauma she experienced and had lived with, as well as lending voice to the insecurities her character felt. It was a very powerful performance from an actress who always knows how to shine in any project she's in.

I didn't think I would like Reminiscence as much as I did when I started watching it. The pacing was very slow and it was taking an extremely long time to establish world building while also setting up all the important information for the developing plot. I think there was a real sincerity to film noir that made Mae seem like quite a stoic femme fatale, which presented some initial roadblocks to connecting with her and Nick's love story. I also think how climate change changed the world and the references to the 'border wars' was very poorly explored in the opening act, this was functional worldbuilding but not an example of well-executed world-building.

Cliff Curtis, who played Cyrus Boothe, is disappointing as the major antagonist of the feature; Curtis barely manages to stick to an accent, let alone maintain the presence required to be an intimidating villain. Mojean Aria, who played Sebastian Sylvan, gets a bit more screen time than is ever really called for; Aria's strange final confrontation with Jackman is a low point for the final act and not well executed. Natalie Martinez, who played Avery Castillo, just isn't tough enough to be convincing in her law enforcement role; Martinez's character feels like she is meant to be equipped with authority yet she consistently seems content falling into the background.

This hits like a modern day Blade Runner for a lot of the viewing, a beautiful blending of science-fiction and film noir. I would give Reminiscence an 8.5/10.