Divinity

Divinity is a very stylized, black and white sci-fi/horror adjacent/thriller. Destined to be divisive, but very much worth checking out if the trailer peaked your interest.

The film is very strange but I was never lost. There is a clear and defined plot that isn't convoluted. The acting is rough around the edges, the dialogue is not polished, but in many ways this contributes to the style of the film.

That's not to say this movie is "so bad it's good." The style will not work for everyone though. The one thing that is inarguable is the movie's ability to stay cemented in your brain. This is a movie that I don't believe will leave your mind so quick like a big budget Hollywood film.

Is this movie empty, vapid and all style over substance? Is it a deep and meaningful reflection about what humans value? For me, somewhere in between but nonetheless a very entertaining film.

Divinity will definitely find its audience but it still isn't the next Blade Runner. Check it out.

While watching this movie it reminded me of Tetsuo Iron Man. The themes of body modification and technology overtaking the core of what it means to be human. Some scenes also reminded me of a bad b-movie like something from an Ed Wood 50s sci-fi or even Neil Breen. There were definitely things I hadn't seen in a while like stop motion animation techniques in place of CGI. It feels like a breath of fresh air at this point where we are just inundated with things that look the same. It is not going to be everyone's cup of tea but if you like Ray Harryhausen, Tetsuo: Iron Man, cheesy sci-fi movies, you may like this.

Fantastic visuals, numbing story to the brain. While I do appreciate the straightforward allegories that were apparent, it seemed like this movie was relying on the visuals to save it. The story is super simple with overarching metaphors involved, yet, it seemed like certain scenes were missing it. The pacing was super off, but the visuals almost make up for it. Every shot looks like a charcoal pencil drawing that just adds to the nature of the film. Great concepts, yet not expansive to the point where I feel the lore could be elaborated on. I recommend solely for the visuals and set design, yet it's not much of a pleasing story.

Starts out okay while you wonder what is going on.... but once you piece the story together you can't stop looking at the horrible practical effects. By the time you are ready to see the story move to the next level, you are all of a sudden watching a claymation celebrity death match with horrible stop-motion... the only way to truly understand the crap ending this movie has, is to sit through it yourself. We are left with a horrible mess of a film that leans too heavily on 50 year old film tropes to help trod along this story's narrative. The filmmaker got lost somewhere along with way with this movie, as the very ending makes no real sense. Though I'm sure there are people who will come up with their own explanation and say "see, this us what he meant". But no no, he was actually just confused.

I watched Divinity (2023) in theaters this evening. The storyline delves into a futuristic society where a new serum grants immortality, but at the cost of rendering people unable to have children. When the serum's creator is kidnapped one night, it raises questions about the secrets he holds that led to these actions.

Directed and written by Eddie Alcazar (Perfect) and starring Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap), Stephen Dorff (Blade), Bella Thorne (Blended), Karrueche Tran (Claws) and Caylee Cowan (Willy's Wonderland).

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It evoked shades of several other films such as Infinity Pool, Logan's Run Sin City, and Equilibrium. It's a clever and unique addition to the science fiction/horror genre, with an excellent villain transformation sequence that casts a shadow over the entire film. The concept is highly original, and the setup is intriguing. The film boasts some intense fight and bite scenes, with one fight sequence that I enjoyed but had to deduct points for. 😂 However, the absolute ending is pure science fiction gold.

In summary, Divinity is a movie that will likely find its passionate admirers and harsh critics, but as a fan of new science fiction concepts, I thought it was worthwhile. I would rate it a 8/10 and strongly recommend it.