Puzzlehead

In a world 'after the decline' a scientist creates a robot in his image. The robot, named Puzzlehead, is getting smarter every day, and more independent, which at some point makes the scientist feel threatened by his creation. A strange love triangle brings the situation to a boiling point.

I very much liked this small scale and moody sci-fi picture. It's well acted, has an intelligent screenplay and lots of atmosphere. The writer-director never makes the mistake of trying to make his low budget film bigger than it it is, thus keeping it believable.

Unlike so many of the mass-produced, mind numbing works of garbage being pumped out by the Hollywood machine of late, this film was as thought provoking as it was entertaining.

This film is an ideal example of how a little genuine creativity and a lot of hard work and dedication can outdo a large budget, CGI and crowds of extras any day of the week. For that alone, the makers of 'Puzzlehead' deserve much credit. The scene of a drab future world, in which scientific advances are shunned in favor of protecting and preserving our own human concept of humanity, is set flawlessly through the thoughtful use of cinematography and colour.

Ultimately, this film has one questioning which of the many factors we associate with humanity are actually desirable, and which are not. It also raises questions regarding which human traits are necessary in a being in order to regard that being as human. If other humans think it human, does that make it so? I also appreciated the film's insinuation that all things made by man will ultimately suffer from the same innate flaws as man himself.

If you're looking for a film that can stand firmly on its own two feet, without the crutches of a catchy soundtrack, famous actors or multiple explosions, then I would highly recommend that you watch Puzzlehead without delay.

Although Puzzlehead Is,by Its main subject matter,listed as Science Fiction, those who are aficionados of that genre will no doubt be disappointed. Puzzlehead Is one for the philosophers and deep-thinkers rather than fans of the neo-swashbucklers such as Star-wars, similarly the technical detail Is kept to a minimum as the focus Is on the relationship between Robot, creator, and the local shop-girl, who form the complicated "Menage-a-trois" which becomes the main subject of this unique and entertaining film. In the not-too-distant future, In an unspecified city In an unspecified country (not Important facts In a movie such as this),after some kind of(again unspecified)apocalypse, a greatly reduced population Is slowly regaining something resembling a stable society. In this dark and foreboding landscape we find Walter, who has spent several years designing and building Puzzlehead, a robot In his own Image, a facsimile of himself In both looks and - to a certain extent - with the same mindset. However, the difference In personalities begins to reveal Itself as Puzzleheads life-experiences begin to expand his mind and, In particular, when the local shop-girl comes Into their lives. How the relationship between these three characters develops Is the main subject and many Interesting questions are raised and explored. The negative comments about this film are very unfair and are, as previously mentioned, probably a result of disappointed sci-fi fans, which I suppose Is understandable to a certain extent. But this dark and disturbing drama ought to be Judged on Its own merits. No bad language, a couple of sex-scenes more Implied than visual, a little violence but no gore, all this means that thrill-seekers will be left feeling distinctly unsatisfied.....but for the thinkers and philosophers there Is a wealth of questions to ponder. It's one of those films which needs and Indeed deserves a second viewing to thoroughly get to grips with Its many aspects and Is one best enjoyed with curtains closed and phones switched off.

It's seldom nowadays that I find a movie that I feel connects with me intellectually. I guess I've just seen way too many movies! This was a breath of fresh air, let me tell you. At the end of this movie you won't feel like you've visited a 3$ wh***. This movie's story is complete in every way.

Despite all the above praise, I have to mention one thing that led to my average vote. Why no one has commented on this before me, I have absolutely no idea. The acting is atrocious; and there's just no way of getting around it. It's partly because of the mood the director wanted for his movie, but no one in this movie is even close to pulling it off. Even playing the robot, which in the beginning of its creation shouldn't require much skill, they completely miss the mark. In fact, if the story wasn't so genius, and the setting so beautifully laid out, not to mention some of the very artistic filming - I would probably have stopped watching the movie altogether.

Puzzlehead is truly entertaining and thought provoking. Though one finds oneself wishing more information given concerning the general history of the haunting setting of the movie, it is well worth seeing. The movie appeals both to true science fiction aficionados and to those who prefer the dramatic or symbolic. I found myself completely drawn in to the movie. Additionally, because of the nature of the special effects used in the filming of the movie, there is little to no feeling of artificiality as is common with so many modern movies of ANY genre. For personal comparison, I enjoyed Puzzlehead much, MUCH more than I did Spielberg's "A.I."