Ctrl review: Best to brush up on your philosophy for the latest New Blood Frightfest entry.
Ctrl review by Kat Hughes.
Ctrl Review
A recent new fixture of Frightfest is the New Blood strand. The segment features films from first time filmmakers, giving them a platform to reach out to an audience that they might not usually be able to access. It’s a really good initiative and proves that the Frightfest team are fully behind supporting the next wave of directors. One film screening in this years batch is Ctrl, directed by Harry Lindley.
Our story unfolds within the walls of a single apartment. Couple Lex (Saabeah Yheos) and Dru (Hainsley Lloyd Bennett) are spending the weekend with Leo (Julian MAck), Lex’s adoptive brother; they are there to celebrate Leo’s Birthday. in the aftermath of his party, the trio find themselves locked inside the walls of Leo’s tech heavy apartment. Leo has been secretly working on a computer virus – DAISY, and it appears that it has gone rogue, trapping them inside the apartment with it. As mistrust and paranoia seeps through the group, can the trio put aside their differences and escape?
Ctrl Review
Ctrl has a very eye-catching premise. People have been afraid of technology for years, just look at all the science-fiction films in the world that deal with the topic. Ctrl also seeks address the issue, but does so via a lot of philosophical musings. Clearly constrained by a limited budget and having to contain the story within one location, Ctrl struggles to be clear in exactly what it wants to say. Also, with so much philosophy on display, one feels like you might need a degree, or at least a very keen in interest in the subject matter, to fully understand it. Personally, a lot of what was discussed went way over my head, but I’m sure that those with an interest will find much to consume and enjoy within Ctrl.
Visually, Lindley shows some flair with a nice range of filters utilised to highlight changing moods etc. He also ventures into body horror territory, all of which stems from some pretty ick looking blue gel. Then there are all the creepy crawlies which will definitely creep some out.
For me Ctrl is a case of too much talking (about stuff I’m not versed enough in to fully grasp) and not enough forward momentum. A low-fi intellectual take on the sentient machine.
Ctrl review by Kat Hughes, August 2018.
Ctrl screened at Arrow Video Frightfest 201
