OXV: The Manual

I saw the world premiere at Fantasia and chatted at length with writer/director/editor/producer Darren Paul Fisher afterwards.

The Universe he created and that the viewer slowly discovers is complex, coherent, intriguing and raise ethical and philosophical questions including the classic determinism versus free will dilemma. The arguments and points of view are quite interesting, with a caveat that in the end, perhaps who cares?

There is a love story in the midst (and a friendship) that builds and begs to reach you emotionally with fine acting and directing. Character development arise seamlessly through three different age period and the pacing and editing are quite remarkably on cue.

I don't want to reveal too much about this cerebral science fiction, but there are many clever surprises that awaits the engaged viewer both in the story twists and the underlying concepts explored. Even love has some deep philosophical implications at one point in the context of the film.

So there you have it: the best film of Fantasia so far this year and one of the best sci-fi ever, from the spectacular script to the screen.

Bravo Mr Fisher and thank you for sharing your thoughts and labour of love in this artistic and philosophical masterpiece.

This truly could have been an amazing film deserving of much more than a tepid-warm 7/10.

At first you get the feeling that you're going to watch a love story unravel... but this slowly shifts between romance, science fiction and thriller at points. I barely noticed the transition myself... much in the way that District 9 morphs from a documentary into a science fiction tale seamlessly. They balanced each with precision so you don't know quite what you're watching at any given moment.

This film tries to convey many different concepts and fringe concepts ranging from physics to philosophy... but does not appropriate them convincingly or with clarity. I fully understood what it was trying to do and say... but it had tried to make the web of intrigue too intricate. It had many holes and unexplained loose ends which towards the middle made it unbelievable and pretentious. You know what they say - the more complex something is... the more chance there is of something going wrong. That applies with anything from technology to relationships (or storytelling in this case).

The merit of this film mainly lies in it's simpler plot points, the acting and direction.

If you're one of those people who doesn't believe that even fiction has to be believable (to some extent) to be enjoyable or you simply just don't understand what the concept of OXV is... then this is your film.

What would you do, if you were destined to fail, but then had the opportunity to level the playing field of your heart's desire?

I luv'd it. It's a gem.

Some movies require you to take the "reviewers rule book" and toss it.

This is one of them.

The writer/director Darren Paul Fisher appears to be one of those rare auteurs who releases a work every four or five years and then disappears or hibernates or goes back to his home planet.

This is an extraordinary film. Even now I not sure if this is a love story sugar-coated with one of the most complex metaphysical scripts of all time, or a metaphysical script grounded in a wonderfully odd love story.

However, as one of the main characters quips in the very last scene, "Does it even matter?"

The film is mesmerizing and engaging and challenging. It makes the MATRIX look like a Bugs Bunny cartoon. The scenes in the present with the adult cast are perfect and flawless, but the flashbacks with the child actors are beyond even that, they are hypnotic.

A great film by a gifted auteur. Memorable. Enjoyable. Astonishing.

Highly recommended

A very original idea that kept me thinking throughout the movie. The movie reminded me of Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek director of The Lobster and Dogtooth, very dystopian. A very well made low budget sci-fi that managed to hit far above it's weight. A big thumbs up.