The Pod Generation

In this world where mother nature is transplanted - transferred, replaced, displaced, where surrogates are grafted, you have a partner who's organic, whose whole life is quite botanic, but you take him to a place, where dreams are shafted. Incubation is the option you have chosen, allows you to pursue your work, without demotion, devolution is the way, an evolving science day, although at first, you may just lack, vital devotion. As for concerns, a trip to the all seeing eye - will resolve anxiety and clarify, that you must do as you are told, you must remain part of the fold, this is the way the human race will multiply.

Not as good as it could have been.

It's late 21st century New York City. Humanity is slowly divorcing itself from nature. Alvy Novy (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is studying the unusual field of horticulture. His wife Rachel Novy (Emilia Clarke) is more normal. She gets an opportunity to have a child through the latest version of the pod. It's an artificial form of gestating their baby.

Initially, I'm 50-50 with this premise. Sci-fi often does these big swings and they don't always make sense. I don't completely buy this world. Slowly, the movie gets a bit more quirky and ridiculous. It starts injecting a comedic tone. It's funny but not laugh out loud funny. It's a small sci-fi which is likely to be lost in the mix unless one is searching for some Ejiofor or Emilia Clarke.

"The Pod Generation" had the potential to shine as a gripping Black Mirror episode, with a compact runtime of just one hour. However, it seemed to have been needlessly stretched to 111 minutes, weakening its impact and leaving the narrative feeling rather hollow. Throughout the film, there were several scenes (dream scenes, therapy sessions, ...) that felt exuberant and ultimately failed to contribute significantly to the story, resulting in a sense of dragging and stagnation.

Even with the extended runtime, "The Pod Generation" left viewers with a lingering sense of incompleteness, as though there were unresolved threads that needed further exploration. I would have loved further world building or an extension of the conspiracies that were teased. Without any of that, the story could have been tighter, focusing on its core themes and plot points, and it would have benefitted from a more concise approach to storytelling, akin to the thought-provoking brevity that Black Mirror is known for.

I can't remember the last time I watched a movie with as little conflict or drama as 'The Pod Generation'. Did they just think that their concept was so original and interesting that they didn't even need to add a hook of any sort to the script? It's really bizarre to watch. There is nothing at stake in the film. Nothing to look forward to or anticipate or even think about. The film just plods along for 100 minutes of nothingness.

The only thing that saves it from being completely unwatchable is the charisma of its two leads. About all you can really do is sit back and peacefully enjoy their interactions and screen time. If that sounds like a nice time to you, you might just enjoy this film.

'The Pod Generation' is a film completely unwilling to step out of its own comfort zone. The concept is mildly interesting (for the first 15 minutes) and that's about it. A generous 5/10.

Like others said, this film very much feels like an extended Black Mirror episode, but without a twist or something edgy to make it memorable.

This young couple want to have a baby in a world where babies can be made in artificial wombs i.e. Egg-shaped "pods". The woman (a nice portrayal by Emilia Clarke - the American accent was probably unnecessary given that there's no relevant backstory) is a highly successful professional, working for the same corporation that actually offers the pod services. She's an all around modern woman, having accepted the quirks and conveniences of this very high-tech society. Her husband, on the other hand (a warm and relatable portrayal by Chiwetel Ejiofor) is an old-school botanologist, who loves nature and is sceptical towards all of this tech taking over natural processes like pregnancy and childbirth.

You'd think that this conflict would drive the plot, but it doesn't. It somehow gets resolved very easily, without much of a takeaway and that's the problem of the whole film. No conflict, no high stakes, no twists or sinister revelations, just literally what it says on the tin: a couple having a baby in a pod.

There is no discernible stance or point that the film is making. If the point is "natural is better", it is made in a very underwhelming manner. If the point is to offer some food for thought and debate, then it also fails: there is, for example, the angle of this method of reproduction being liberating for women and an opportunity for men to bond with their unborn baby in a more meaningful way - but this gets quickly dismissed and satirized as if there isn't a deeper discussion about bodily autonomy and gender roles behind it.

One thing I will praise is the pace and aesthetic. I didn't find it slow, despite the lack of an exciting plot. And that's an achievement of the art department, which made the whole flow and visuals soothing and satisfying.

Decent effort, but ultimately powerless.