Review of Dark Matter (2008) by Adam P — 18 Nov 2009
It's hardly news that entrenched ideas, ego, and politics reign supreme in academia, and that bucking the system, however brilliant you may be, is asking for trouble. But you could make a hell of a good movie about it.
This movie, though, falls a little short. The characters -- Chinese post-graduate students, their doctoral advisors, and other members of the academic community -- are realistic and well-played, and the parallel glimpses of Liu Xing's family back in China, which form the backdrop for Liu's letters home, are an interesting and nice touch. And until near the end of the movie, the story is believable.
Where it breaks down, and where this movie falls short, is Liu's inexplicable descent into madness. The Liu we meet and come to know earlier in the movie is too balanced and practical to go postal. His actions aren't believable. The ending feels added on . . . it doesn't fit the rest of the movie.
But this director, Chen Shi-Zheng, has a sort of M. Knight Shyamalan thing going, and I'll look forward to his next movie.
This review of Dark Matter (2008) was written by Adam P on 18 Nov 2009.
Dark Matter has generally received mixed reviews.
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