I Origins
A molecular biologist and his laboratory partner uncover evidence that may fundamentally change society as we know it.
Cast
Michael Pitt – Ian Gray
Brit Marling – Karen
Astrid Berges-Frisbey – Sofi
Steven Yeun – Kenny
Archie Panjabi – Priya Varma
Fasciboring
I Origins contains a fascinating plot, which actually only surfaces at the very end of the movie – other than that, it is boring as sin. I was very close to walking out of this one as I grew more and more tedious of the indie bullshit unfolding on screen. To date, I have seen no reviews in any newspapers, no publicity, not even a trailer – and I’m honestly not surprised. I Origins is a tedious display of what happens when a scientist potters about in his lab, meets his new assistant, then marries her. This cliché plot is nothing new, and flows with a the undercurrent plot whereby the couple attempt to make history with a scientific experiment..
Quite literally nothing happens during the first hour and twenty minutes of the movie, the screen time is simply filled with the loved-up antics of Ian and his lover Sofi who he meets at a party one night then loses contact, only to spot her on a tube train weeks later (where he jumps up and places his headphones on her head so she can listen to what he is listening to – let’s face it, in any real-life situation the guy would probably get arrested or hurt in some way. Not here though). The girl disembarks the train, Ian following along behind as he clutches his iPod like a dog on a lead, until she stops, turns and kisses him.
Yawn.
Give It A Rest
The dialogue in this movie nearly sent me to sleep; from spirituality and the ways of the universe, to the number of senses an earth worm has, I was itching to get out of the auditorium.
For scientists, yes – the movie will be of interest. For me, who had just finished a week of work and needed a relaxing Friday evening – NO. This was not what I needed to end the week. In all honesty, the beginning of I Origins was unbearable. And this isn’t me exaggerating, I’m being deadly serious.
It begins with Ian meeting Sofi – and then meeting Karen his lab assistant. Sitting watching either couple waffle on (very deeply) about their passions was painful. I suppose the director’s main idea was to include topics of conversation you’d hear a bunch of festival goer’s discussing on a train – this is a movie of the ‘indie’ genre after all. And I refer to festival goer’s because they are the sort of people this may appeal to – you know the type: grungy jeans, unlaced boots and ‘alternative’-coloured hair who thrive on hugging trees, saving animals, enhancing their appearance in order to promote how individual they are, and generally coming across as irritating. At one point Ian announces that Sofi “fills a hole in his heart” – just days after meeting her. Not only is the guy strangely clingy, but this line was the soppiest crap I’ve heard in a film. There you are – it is this calibre of person who would revel in a film like I Origins, mainly because its characters spout as much analytical bullshit as these people do. Not that I’m judging – I’m just being honest.
The Running Dead
So, we had Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) doing a runner from AMC’s The Walking Dead and sliding nicely into Into The Storm, and now it’s Glen’s turn (Steven Yeun) as he makes his appearance as Ian’s study partner Kenny. A refreshing dash of cast whose famous face brought sheer relief from the action on screen which was practically turning me to stone. I liked this.
He wasn’t in the movie very much though. I did not like this.
Clever?
I can see it now – plain as day: a group of independent indie movie makers, sat round a table discussing how to market this movie.
“oooh – how about, on the poster, we have the words I Origins – because you know, I is a letter but also it SOUNDS like EYE! A play on words will be well clever”.
..not really though, is it?
I don’t want to burst all your bubbles but for Christ sake – a poster of an eyeball, with I Origins written in the foreground. I’m sure the producers were beaming with themselves at marketing the movie with such creative flair, but the end product was shocking. In this case, yes – never judge a book by its cover, in reverse.
What Went Right
The story at the end of the movie is great. It centers around a random little girl in India who (incredibly) shares the same eye pattern as Ian’s French ex-girlfriend Sofi. And because the two females share the same eye structure, their subconscious are linked – for example, Sofi is killed in a tragic elevator accident – the little girl (completely unrelated and on the other side of the world) has a major phobia of entering elevators.
This plot was bordering on fantastic, I was intrigued by this and it actually had me “ooh”-ing out loud. But I say bordering on fantastic because the rest of the movie ruined it by being bloody awful. The structure of this movie’s production was terrible, flowing on one level the entire time with no dynamics. And then this bit pops up just in time for the credits to roll, delivering an eyebrow-raising few minutes. I actually found the ‘scientific breakthrough’ very interesting, but splintered by a painfully boring film leading up to it. Had they introduced this plot earlier on it may have saved it. Shame.
I will never watch I Origins again. It’s just not worth it.
To get me to watch a movie more than once the feature needs to have a unique and intriguing plot, great action which flows with dynamics, memorable cast, captivating dialogue and the ability to leave me reeling with feeling after watching.
I Origins had none of this at all. It left the screen as blankly as it appeared, making such little impact that I have honestly experienced a higher level of entertainment on the toilet.
Poor Brit. She seems to be the ripest cherry picked by directors who dream up a load of complete bullshit. I want to see the girl cast in better movies.
Avoid this one at all costs – and I mean costs. If you actually PAY to see I Origins, you’re a fool.
Harsh but fair.
Ricky's Film Reviews 