Hyperland

Nice German production. The film deals with current issues in a not so unrealistic future dystopia. The story is exciting until the end. And the subtle details only become apparent when you look at them several times. But the obvious things are also implemented fantastically. A very diverse cast and even a brief outline of the meetoo debate. Very brave, but in a good way.

Hyperland is more than a normal feature film, it is a dystopian television play of social relevance captured on celluloid. It is about nothing less than the power of algorithms over the assessment of human life. Realized with an incredible amount of artistic dedication it is worth watching several times. Tip for teachers: Also suitable as a basis for discussion in school lessons.

They probably didn't have much budget to produce this, which they try to cleverly hide. But in the end this is a pretentious, rather boring sci-fi vision that adds nothing new. It is long, lacks a professional direction and a good script (one would think that both of those are crucial for a good movie). Hence skip this one, there is better alternatives out there.

Hyperland is set in a near future, where behaviour is socially rated and everyone is constantly monitored and judged by their peers. The great thing about the film is, that while it uses the dystopian setting as a part of the plot, it never only relies on it. Rather, it uses the setting as a matter of course to drive the narrative.

Very often, near future dystopias, especially those based on the over-exaggeration of modern social media and surveillance technology trends, somehow manage to stay behind within the public discourse. Hyperland, however, manages to drive the discourse forward, not only surfing a wave but actually creating it. Hence, the film is fantastic and very much recommended.

This film is gripping so many issues plaguing the world today at once: The ubiquity of social media, racism, misogyny, fake news, and our tendency to judge everything and everyone quickly, passionately and on a very thin basis. And it does so through a breathtaking spiral of a story that does not take prisoners and could happen anywhere, anytime, and to anyone.

A prescient, visually riveting and superbly composed piece of art.