OtherLife

A low-budget cross between The Matrix and Total Recall, OtherLife follows research scientist Ren Amari (Jessica De Gouw) as she attempts to perfect a drug that induces time-compressed virtual realities – with the character’s efforts, spurred on by her comatose brother, eventually having unexpected consequences for various figures. Filmmaker Ben C. Lucas, following up his superb 2010 debut, Wasted on the Young, delivers a slow-moving narrative that’s been peppered with a handful of admittedly unexpected twists, and it’s clear, too, that the picture benefits substantially from De Gouw’s strong turn as the tenacious central character. There’s little doubt, though, that even at 96 minutes, OtherLife feels about a half hour longer than the thin storyline can comfortably withstand – which does ensure, for the most part, that the movie generally seems like it’d be more at home within an episode of The Outer Limits or Black Mirror. Still, OtherLife is mostly entertaining and intriguing enough to warrant a minor recommendation, and Lucas’ obvious comfort and ease behind the camera ensures that the whole thing is far more polished and cinematic than one might’ve anticipated.

**1/2 out of ****

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