Mind Thief

I got to see this film at the Ojai film festival. I thought the story was engrossing and the mystery element kept me guessing. Mind Thief is the ultimate thriller that, true to its title, keeps your mind captive to its plot. Supported by a strong cast, the lead actress is captivating as an acrobatic author afflicted by writer's block. You really feel like you're in her shoes. It's a very compelling sci-fi thriller with dark comedy elements. It delves into themes of psychology about systems of control, both mentally and physically. This gets broken up by moments of humour, providing rich entertainment value.

First the movie poster, a creative, but weird, cartoon, gave no clue as to what movie was about. I had never seen Angelique Pristorious before, and at first thought the lead actress was Mischa Barton. But wow, Angelique was great. And saw afterward that Angeliqu also wrote the movie. Her humor made the character a combination of air-head, but with common sense. A unique combination. Also Angelique was great at the physical comedy/stunts. And Angelique is H-O-T. Yes, suspend disbelief, but was fun not knowing who was good or bad. This movie is ripe for a sequel. As most of the characters, both good and bad survive.

Most of the actors were new to me. Which also lead to some suspense.

Novelist Christine Wilde is struggling with her latest book. Unable to write she starts to notice strange things going on around her. People are acting strangely and she feels compelled to get to the bottom of it. In the process she uncovers a plot, involving mind control experiments, which put her in danger of being killed or becoming a killer!

I thought this was rather fun. It probably helped that I had no real idea what to expect. Early on a light tone is set with comic moments; the way our protagonist writes while hanging upside-down from the ceiling tells us this isn't going to be too serious. Once the mystery starts it is intriguing and far from obvious what is going on... has she discovered a conspiracy, is she imagining things or is it something else altogether? The cast, led by Angelique Pretorius as Christine do a solid job, keeping the balance of humour and drama just the right side of being silly. While there are some moments of violence they aren't too disturbing, in fact some are done in a way more likely to elicit laughs than shock. Overall I thought this was a decent film; not a must watch but I thought it passed the time well enough.

Hello! What a brilliant cast and incredible story telling by all.

It is rare that a film can combine genres so easily being comedic in moments but also keeping you on the edge of your seat. It reflects in a very accessible way, deeper issues that we deal with in day to day life where we are thieved by our ever evolving technologies and highjacked by our own pleasure.

The score is balanced and adds the perfect touch to what could've been unnecessary drama.

The film is well cast and Angelique P is a STAR.

Right until the very end you are kept guessing as to what will be the fate of all the characters.

Blown away! The acting is fantastic and there are so many details to notice along the way. I felt like a detective trying to sort it out and was surprised at every turn of the plot. My wife and I were both riveted all the way through. The main actress, Angelique Pretorius, was stunning and incredible in every scene, somehow managing to be simultaneously funny and fierce. Truly, every actor was fantastic and each managed to surprise me with the turns and twists of the plot and within the character development. As soon as it was over I wanted to watch it again! I love dark sci-fi thrillers and this is at the top of my list. Fantastic film, highly recommend!