IR Film Review: HOT SPOT [Focus]
Different variations of apocalypse in a post AI world populate the film landscape right now even more than usual since it is now undeniably part of zeitgeist. Agnieszka Smoczyńska who as a director has made a diversified selection of genre films continues to look through her effective and specific lens in "Hot Spot", her first film released by a major US distributor in Focus Features. It very much feels like an independent approach (which reflects her well -- but with more resources). Having talked to Agnieszka for her film "The Lure" at Sundance and then at Cannes for her next film "Fugue" (before she progressed to her next film The Silent Twins with Letitia Wright), it is great to see her evolution but also her consistently. Smoczyńska has a very punk sensibility but always keeps the essence of her Polish roots in view while she makes her cast very diversified. The film is led by her husband and actor Andrew Konopka while anchoring the film in its antagonist per se with Noomi Rapace who has an interesting eye for genre of course. Rounding out the course is Japanese actress Reika Kirishima.
Konopka plays an investigator but in a weird punk retro 80s sort of way who has a great record he seems to be playing to. Smoczyńska gets some 80s synth needle drops in with the bigger budget as well. The film has some Blade Runner aspects without the effects but uses its Polish landscapes (the bleaker ones at that) with some Cold War building reflections and compounds that give the film a sense of scale without running up the budget. All the people existing in this world are kept in line by The Head which is a sentient AI that doles out water and energy but has very severe restrictions for violence and pleasure. Rapace’s Rana intermixes with that status quo but plays her interference very close to the vest. People, like in "Ghost In The Shell", can hear each other in their minds. Kirishima has the hardest approach but there is both a body horror and regular horror aspect to it. A lot of it is a metaphor but you also can’t help but think of "The Killing Of The Sacred Deer" in the final moments. Smoczyńska paints the film as a bleak bright postmodern film noir but with aspects of David Cronenberg. She has always been very good about incorporating these themes. While the film is still on the edges of mainstream, it does give a wider audience the ability to see an auteur of sorts who has been doing great indie work for years getting a bigger platform and showing she can deliver while still being original. B/84%
By Tim Wassberg
