The Soul

This is more a typical asian TV drama with over-the-top acting and artless attempts to pull your emotional strings than it is a future hightech thriller, as advertised. All underlaid with sappy music and filmed in toned down colors, assumingly to show "its the dark near future". Some good acting, but hard to watch because of bad direction and the less than appealing script.

Not recommended unless you love asian (taiwanese/korean) tear-jerker TV shows. Nothing new to be found here.

The Soul: Taiwanese SF/Horror Thriller which is also a murder mystery and several love stories, set in 2031. The Billionaire owner of a BioTech company is murdered, apparently by his own son. But it's no ordinary murder, Occult Sigils were painted on walls and the killer acted out a ritual as he carried out the deed. The boy's mother had committed suicide 2 years before whist also carrying out a ritual, believing she would return to curse her husband. The dead BioTech mogul's new wife is acting strangely as if possessed, saying she sees the dead woman's (angry) ghost. A family all unhappy in their own ways. The investigating magistrate leading the search for the guilty party has terminal cancer (this is crucial to the unfolding of the narrative). But it's not all Occult and murder, radical RNA transfer techniques are also mixed up in this SF Neo-Noir conundrum. Flashbacks are crucial to understanding what really occurred and with changing identities you will have pay close attention to the story. More than one viewing may be necessary to appreciate the fine details of the plot. There are also several twists and reveals as the intrigue develops. An intricate but engaging film. Written & Directed by Cheng Wei-Hao. On Netflix. 8/10.

One-of-a-kind Chinese sci-fi that sets itself apart by combining Chinese tradition, belief, science, love and crime. The solemn mood, use of color, futuristic setting are all gutsy attempts by the director, and somehow it works. Even more difficult is combining the protagonists' own love story with the main flow of the film. The casts were also chosen correctly, as a film like this, especially in the Asian market must be led by more "serious" actors. The ending to me is a little questionable, while it makes sense, but seems a bit out of character as well. Nevertheless, an impressive accomplishment of piecing together a believable future. Love the analogy of this science to Chinese concept of "soul", there seems to be a lot more than what meets the eye to this film.

I just wrote a short scathing review of Stowaway.

This in comparison is how sci-fi drama should be done.

A plot seemingly simple yet twisting and surprising to the very last second and I usually spot the twists miles ahead... It even manages to blend woke elements without being ostentatious.

The cast is natural, the emotional drama is good even when a little over the top.

Mainland China and Taiwan are becoming heavy hitters in the film industry...way to go...

Ideological nuances aside, the film conveys a message of love, honor, and justice (a bit skewed), but with a smart ending nonetheless.