Ascension

Ascension is the kind of film you either love or hate. Those who hate it seem quite passionate and will no doubt defend their reasons to the end, but those who love it will also defend their reasons and be passionate about it. Visionary works of art are often subject to polarized points of view, which in my opinion, is what makes them resonate and have longevity.

Karim Hussain is a bold filmmaker. With this film, he has challenged our views and expectations regarding dialogue, music, lighting, cinematography, and even left some questions unanswered; a rare thing in an age where almost every film feeds us answers by the shovelful...

When you leave the theater, Ascension's images, sounds, and possible hidden meanings will linger in your mind. Even if you feel your cinematic status-quo has been turned inside out, one thing you will not feel is indifference.

Karim Hussain's Ascension has just won Best Film at the Sitges International Film Festival in the Official Competition - Noves Visions Section. The film also earned a nomination for Best Film at the Also if you can Fantasporto International Film Festival in Portugal.

I think that all the favorable comments on this site come from the director and his buddies - note the constant Tarkovsky comparisons. Don't be deceived: this film is crap, and a tragic misuse of the talents of three great actresses. The whole thing was just sickeningly repetitive and dull, I felt as though I was watching it for decades. While everything should work: Ir: talent, cinematography, score, lighting - the basic premise of this movie is so pretentious and empty that it's a waste. Spend your money on an Ingmar Bergman flick for the real thing and not some lame wannabe. This emperor has no clothes, people!

Normally i have no problem with mid- to slow-paced films. I commend the director who takes his time to tell a story in todays hysterical film-industry. But unfortunately you need to know what story you´re telling...

I have no idea what director Karim Hussain really wanted to say with this film. It´s a sort of post-apocalyptic drama about three women going after the one who killed god. Apparently all humans were given the ability to do miracles, and the world was thrown into chaos as everyone started abusing that power. Now three women are climbing an old factory where, on the top floor, the one who started the whole downfall of society is waiting. By killing him/her they will destroy the world and end this nightmare.

The story was fine, until the movie started... The movie is simply just an excruciatingly slow display of three women climbing metal stairs while airing nonsensical philosophical statements. All the while minimalistic industrial music grinds in the background. And absolutely nothing happens. I know that i wasn´t the only one finding this to be a test in endurance, out of perhaps 70 present in the audience about 5 people left before the film was over. To compare this to Tarkovskij (as some people have) is an abomination. This is slow, painful and quite frankly shallow. I rate this 1 out of 10.

It is interesting to see how dramatically people react to this movie. You've got to have an open-minded approach to be able to appreciate the slow, poetic vision of the director. If you don't like to think while watching a film, this is simply not for you.

I think this is a fantastic film. The young women have a talent for magic and poetry for this sort of surrealist artistic statement. It is impossible to take your eyes of them. That is probably also the thought of the camera zooms.

There are a lot of memorable lines. They are loaded with among the most cynicism and nihilism I have heard. Sometimes they are so extreme you have to laugh. It's like watching Evil Dead only you react to the dialouge instead of the gore.

Musicwise it is especially interesting. It reminds me of B-science fiction films set in a post-apocalyptic world, like Cyborg 3, but obviously with fingertip feeling. It merges with the soothing sound design similar to that in Blade Runner.

Overall, well worth watching if you are into Nietzsche-philosophies and Tarkovsky-symbolism.

I saw a screening of "Ascension" and I could not believe that producers actually funded this. I could not beleive how awful it was. Everything that makes film great: acting, dialogue, camera movements, sets etc were so bland and boring that the only thing that kept me in my seat was the faint hope that 1 thing, JUST ONE thing would be good about it. And you know what, there was not one frame of film in "Ascension" that I found redeeming. Do anything you can not to see this film. The only positive comments that are posted are made by the unimaginative director and his entourage of idiots.