Film review by Cherif Turé (Guinea-Bissau)
This is the rare situation where I, as a filmmaker and science fiction fan, like to use my favorite quote: “There is some truth in your fiction and some fiction in your truth”. “Escape Attempt” takes you to a whole new level of science fiction art with its astonishing visual effects, powerful music and pleasing photography that will make you want to rewatch it.
Watching “Escape Attempt” made me question: Why is this film is not a feature film and why it’s not being projected on IMAX screen.
The film creates a second guessing sensation by exploring the possibility of multiple realities.
The directors: Alex Topaller and Daniel Shapiro deliver a dark and suspenseful otherworldly experience combined with the beautiful cinematography from Kajetan Plis on the level of Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival”. The utopian future in contrast with a dystopian past is a powerful way to describe the truth of human nature. People don’t usually change. Even in a society capable of interstellar travel, with huge knowledge and technologies, there still can be place for evil, as much as in the dark evil past there was always a light of goodness at the end of the tunnel.
The set design, casting, make up and costumes, locations and execution are beyond any sci-fi short I’ve ever seen.
The visual effects team deserves a special award.
Although the film is masterfully crafted, I believe that today’s generation is very disconnected from the harsh reality of the second world war, thus it might be hard for the young ones to find the emotional relatability of the film. I think that the characters could transmit more emotions to us so we could actually feel the Saul’s perspective, but maybe it would be time-consuming, since it’s a short. But then again: “why it’s not a feature film?”
I will end by saying: “Simply Great!”. I hope the directors bring to life more stories like this to amaze us in every aspect.
Cherif Turé – Filmmaker, Computer Scientist, Music Composer (MiSciFi 2023 Best Afrofuturism Winner)