- Director: Robert Hloz
- Writer: Tomislav Cecka, Zdenek Jecelin
- Stars: Andrea Mohylová, Matej Hádek, Jan Jankovsky
Review
Restore Point (Bod Obnovy) is a science fiction heavy backdrop for a conspiracy thriller that covers themes on AI, tech, and the results of human reliance on technology or as it is coined in the film ‘Digital Corruption’. Playing as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival, this is the first science fiction to come from the Czech Republic in forty years.
The year is 2038, and murder is all but a thing of the past, thanks to technology called Restore Point. However, someone has figured out a way to make murder more of permanent act. Detective Emma Trochinowska is given the task of investigating the domestic terror group the River of Life, who are responsible for many attacks on civilians and also those that created restore point. As Detective Trochinowska goes further into her investigation, she discovers that things aren’t what they seem.
Mohylová is great as the Detective and her performance is exceptional, giving Emma a hard exterior and edge but with vulnerabilities, rounding her character out beautifully. The entire film sits on her shoulders, and she handles it with grace and ease.
Hloz, directing the first Czech science fiction film in forty years, does wonderfully here. He and cinematographer Filip Marek work really well together. Hloz give the film a distanced feel when the technology is more at the forefront and when needed, he changes up his style when the story gets more intimate, pacing the film really well. Whilst Marek has the film looking fantastic, with the effects blending in seamlessly, you know it’s a science fiction film but at the same time it feels very familiar.
Restore Point paints a pretty recognisable future. The restore point company wants to go down the privatisation route, the CEO is more concerned about damage control than being a good person. AI is seemingly integrated in all aspects of life, with those accepting of the technology seemingly living the better life than those who have actively shunned it. Without being blatant (one way or the other) about the messaging and themes, you can argue the film both sees the benefits and the dangers of technology, whilst laying it out in front of you that human beings and their decisions will ultimately decide how technology is used.
Restore Point is an excellent film, the premise isn’t exactly a brand-new idea but the film builds expertly around it and expands where it needs too, without spoon feeding the audience. A welcome addition to the neo-noir, science fiction table.
Played as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival
Ryan Morrissey-Smith
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