Landscape with Invisible Hand

In the near future, aliens called Vuvv have made first contact some five years earlier. After some resistance, the aliens found capitalist allies to take over the economy. Together, they live on floating cities while the population on the ground struggles with joblessness. Artistic student Adam Campbell (Asante Blackk) falls for new student Chloe Marsh (Kylie Rogers). Adam convinces his mother Beth Campbell (Tiffany Haddish) to take in Chloe's homeless family. In order to make some money, Adam and Chloe decide to do a courtship broadcast.

This is one weird sci-fi concept. Like other great sci-fi, this says more about the present day situation. This is really about today's growing underclass and their hopelessness. Blackk is an intriguing actor. The alien design is unique and weird. There are issues for a general public audience. A lot of this film is awkward and uncomfortable. It could be funny as long as the viewer isn't disturbed by the material.

This film was pretty unexpected and unlike anything I've seen, and I think because of that it was a bit weird, like it had some narrative shifts. I loved the fact it touched on some pretty controversial topics, which is something I really enjoy under a Sci-fi lens.

Like distribution of wealth, what happens to native people in occupied land. It was really interesting.

The acting was pretty good, and the creature design was excellent in a way that it was very inhuman, and even communicated very differently, which was pretty cool. The film was well made with nice details, even down to the soundtrack.

It was an interesting premise for sure but it got way to obvious way too soon for me. There was a lot to explore here and it could have been entertaining and thought provoking but it didn't really provoke many thoughts of merit, felt a little bit flat and boring.

The theremin music was just too obvious a choice and steered it in the predictable direction and vibe of it all.

It just didn't click and it should have. There were lots of interesting ideas in it but the characters didn't all work and ultimately my attention drifted till I didn't feel like watching it in one sitting, and there it stopped.

This film is a mixed bag of genres that really didn't work when combined. The story started off with so much promising potential with the initial premise being very creative, then it devolves into a narrative that was just too convoluted, inconsistent, lacking impact, and riddled with tonal inconsistencies that will leave you scratching your head. Even the attempts at humor were more cringe than laughs.

The filmmaker's ambition surpassed his execution, that struggled to balance a social commentary, a coming-of-age romance, and a sci-fi dystopian cautionary tale. Sadly, the film ends up failing on both dramatic and comedic levels, and ultimately is underwhelming and will leave you feeling frustratingly unsatisfied, especially the ending, which felt lazy and rushed.

I will credit this film with some impressively staged sequences and set pieces with great performances by all cast members, but that wasn't enough to overshadow this film's failure to tell a compelling story. Maybe in the hands of better filmmakers, this may have been a hit, but as is, it's a miss, and a loss of 105 poorly paced minutes I'll never get back. It's a generous 6/10 for the great concept, performances, cinematography and score.

"Landscape with Invisible Hand" is a 2023 satirical sci-fi comedy that attempts to critique capitalism, economic exploitation, and class divisions through interactions with quirky alien beings called the Vuvv. The film's satire occasionally teeters on the edge of parody as it portrays the Vuvv as whimsical and amusing visitors rather than imposing invaders. The story follows teenager Adam Campbell in a world where the Vuvv have left humanity financially distressed and creatively stifled. While the film has an inventive premise, it struggles with an overabundance of ideas and tonal inconsistency. The characters are emotionally detached, making it hard to connect with them. Despite its promise, the film often falls short in delivering a deep exploration of its themes. The portrayal of the Vuvv verges on becoming caricatures, and the film's tonal shifts disrupt the overall experience. However, it retains an odd charm and occasional moments of amusement, making it worth a watch for those open to its quirky journey.