- Lucas Pistilli
57KVIFF Restore Point.⭐️⭐️⭐️★★
Directed by Robert Hloz,
'Restore Point' is a Czech sci-fi that raises the bar of what the Eastern European country can do when it comes to VFX and production values. The debut feature of director Robert Hloz, the noirish production, which premiered to packed crowds in this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, looks into technology ethics and shady corporate moves in a way that wouldn't feel out of place in a Hollywood blockbuster.
The plot follows the efforts of detective Emma (Andrea Mohylová) in tracking down a group of terrorists called River of Life in 2041. Their goal is to undermine a system called "Restore Point": a government-sanctioned tool that allows people to back up their consciousness so they can be revived in the event of violent death.
The film works as an exercise in genre, as its plot points follow the rules of noir cinema closely. These include Emma having a personal grievance against the terrorists (they killed her partner) and getting caught up in a conspiracy that eventually leads her to be chased by the powers that be. As one would expect, there's a twist - though it would be a stretch to call it surprising.
The feature really soars in its subtext, where it dares to reflect on the morality and philosophical implications of cheating death. The terrorists believe the "Restore Point" system takes away the meaning of life and claim it to be unnatural. By probing the audience for their take on the matter, it aligns itself with the spirit of great sci-fi films like "Blade Runner" and "Minority Report". While the film's resolution is neat to a fault, the questions it asks linger way after the credits roll.
Lucas Pistilli