Fantastic Fest 2010: TRANSFER Review
Built on a fascinating premise but never quite certain how to maximize it, Damir Lukacevic's Transfer had the chance to make a splash as a stellar example of meditative, mature science fiction a la Never Let Me Go but instead has to settle for being an interesting and well crafted but ultimately fairly minor entry into the genre.
Herman and Anna are reaching the end of their twilight years, the loving couple now pushing eighty and Anna fighting a losing battle with cancer. But being people of means they have opportunities not open to most. Should they choose they can appeal to to doctors of Menzana, a clinic which recruits 'willing' subjects - young, attractive and healthy - from the third world and transfers their patients consciousness into them. The body may change but the spirit remains the same, thereby offering a form of immortality to their clients.
The appeal is obvious, as are the hindrances. The entire concept is morally suspect, contracts in place or not Herman and Anna are fully aware that this could be viewed as nothing more than another form of exploitation of the third world by the developed west. And, on a more practical level, there is the simple matter that the host body's consciousness does not go away. Though contained and controlled medically through the daytime hours, the host consciousness will reassert itself for a four hour span every night. The new body will never truly be your own.
It's a fascinating concept and one ripe for exploration. Race, ethics, economics, and identity are all major themes but, unfortunately, Lukacevic never really dives deep into any of them, giving only relatively surface treatment to all of them. Though well shot and beautifully designed with a fantastic score the actors are only competent the frequent use of dubbing on the host bodies - whose dialogue shifts regularly between French and German despite one of them clearly not having any German skills - becomes distracting.
Interesting where it could (should) have been fascinating, Transfer is certainly a worthwhile watch but it's hard to shake the feeling that it misses out on a significant opportunity.
Herman and Anna are reaching the end of their twilight years, the loving couple now pushing eighty and Anna fighting a losing battle with cancer. But being people of means they have opportunities not open to most. Should they choose they can appeal to to doctors of Menzana, a clinic which recruits 'willing' subjects - young, attractive and healthy - from the third world and transfers their patients consciousness into them. The body may change but the spirit remains the same, thereby offering a form of immortality to their clients.
The appeal is obvious, as are the hindrances. The entire concept is morally suspect, contracts in place or not Herman and Anna are fully aware that this could be viewed as nothing more than another form of exploitation of the third world by the developed west. And, on a more practical level, there is the simple matter that the host body's consciousness does not go away. Though contained and controlled medically through the daytime hours, the host consciousness will reassert itself for a four hour span every night. The new body will never truly be your own.
It's a fascinating concept and one ripe for exploration. Race, ethics, economics, and identity are all major themes but, unfortunately, Lukacevic never really dives deep into any of them, giving only relatively surface treatment to all of them. Though well shot and beautifully designed with a fantastic score the actors are only competent the frequent use of dubbing on the host bodies - whose dialogue shifts regularly between French and German despite one of them clearly not having any German skills - becomes distracting.
Interesting where it could (should) have been fascinating, Transfer is certainly a worthwhile watch but it's hard to shake the feeling that it misses out on a significant opportunity.
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