96 Souls

Sorry to say, this is not a good film. Not the acting, the script, the dialogue, the pace.. really, it's hard to find anything good to say about it. Even if the premise had a chance at all, the way it's portrayed completely ruins it. So - two thumbs down from me.

Very short review on this one. The story starts out okay with an interesting concept (being able to visibly see odors), but then devolves into absurdist directing and not-so-special "special effects" that have no sensible or reasonable basis. What starts out as science fiction quickly become science slop. Oddly, this happens at the very same time the theretofore reasonable script suddenly explodes in a blast of profanity. It makes one wonder if they completely changed directors and writers 20 minutes into the work... and decided to throw decent writing, reason, acting and good directing out the window in favor of shock schlock. What began as a reasonable premise becomes unbearably ridiculous-- at which point I decided to waste no more of my time than already spent on this spud.

The movie started with what seemed to be a well executed story line but somehow lost the plot half way through. The director could have either done away with the pseudo philosophy , or at least developed it properly. Amateurish special effects and cardboard acting from some actors did not help.

Extraordinary storytelling and writing for this low-budget feature film. Science meets God when a doctor discovers a chemical formula that allows the human eye to see the essence of energy. The story makes a play for the advancement of psychoactive drugs. The "see smells" and 96 souls scenes are well worth the wait. The protagonist Dr. Jack Surtree "has it all" on the surface, yet his personal life is falling apart. He is facing dwindling research funding, an estranged wife, mother in a nursing home and loyal dog passing away. It seems Dr. Surtree's entire life has been devoted to controlled deductive reasoning with methodical outcomes, and he has hit a wall. Grinnell Morris is an excellent actor in this role, especially in such scenes where he convincingly says a sweet goodbye to his dying dog. He must venture into the unknown to find solutions. With the aid of his new formula and a little help from his friends (a minister, a homeless schizophrenic, and an East Indian doctor) he succeeds in finding a humanitarian medical cure for society. The characters expand on these ideas with heart-felt revelations, delivered by strong actors. I admit to tearing up on several occasions. "When you are free, I am free; we can't escape the effect we have on each other in the larger societal consciousness."

"96 Souls" is captivating from start to finish. The lead scientist at a university lab has his hands full as he deals with personal disappointment and heartbreak at the same time he is fighting for support of his unprecedented research into light-based identification of scent. His life turns upside down when an accident in the lab inadvertently provides the breakthrough he is seeking and more. This low-budget thriller uses simple, but effective special effects to illustrate the "hallucinogenic" quality of his formula – it literally alters one's perception of reality. There is unexpected humor in this film, which doesn't detract from its message about the importance of not abusing potentially exploitative information for harm. It is also a meditation on love and loss, as well as personal redemption. Jack's discovery transforms him as readily as it transforms his field of study. Toyin Moses deserves special recognition for her performance as Bazemint Tapes. Her scene in the mental hospital's music room is both poignant and revelatory, and the young actress is convincing throughout the film. This nicely-written film serves a main course of entertainment with side of morality tale.