I Origins

(49th KVIFF) This sci-fi movie is so non-conflicting that it’s almost unsuited for the festival. It’s the story of a molecular biologists whose research proofs the ungodly origin of the human eye, so that further research can then challenge this finding. The film doesn’t demand much from the viewer, never falls into a scientific rant or into deep philosophical speeches, even though it does have room for that. It’s well made, the story is interesting overall, even though it feels a bit too implausible and naive at times (for instance, the Indian woman who identifies a girl by a photo of an eye, even though she says she hasn’t seen her for several months). That said, in the middle of the bustle of the festival, I Origins felt like a pleasant rest and I was excited immediately after the screening, though the feeling fizzled out after some time. And yet, a nice four-star rating, the ending is very strong emotionally. (2014-07-12)

An excellent indie film with great actors, a great idea, and a powerful and touching story that could have easily happened. From the start, the film takes a look into the life of a molecular biologist and his work, and I found it both refreshing and engaging. The interesting scientific facts and intelligent dialogue kept me on my toes. Once the protagonist falls in love, the romantic level works, which then turns into an instant shock and a maddeningly uncompromising twist, which was properly shocking considering the genre. I still found the following events very unexpected, with one unpleasant situation after another, and luckily the finale comes with a strong emotional dose that swayed me decently. I never thought about my eyes like I did after watching this film. Clever and with a drive. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it in the end. 8/10. (2022-07-18)

It's not enough to read about this, this you must see. The way I Origins is shot, and the way the twists and turns occur here, is in a word, breathtaking. The ideas on which the film is based are presented to the viewer in such a simple yet compelling way that they begin to make sense to you and you don't doubt their reality. The cast is no less exceptional. For a film like this, it's great to have some new faces, as it makes the viewer focus more on the plot. My thoughts on this settled a bit during the night and I am raising my rating to full stars. (2015-08-24)

I Origins deftly blends the popular "I fucking love science" idea of good-looking scientists in brightly lit labs writing in marker on windows facing the majesty of the autumnal Brooklyn Bridge with Instagram muckety-mucks, earbuds, NYC apartments, public transportation, and the constant feeling that it's six in the morning. It's probably already clear from this compilation that the science here comes in thirty-ninth place, and we're not really looking at anything higher/lower than a spiritual and rather fatalistic romance made by a man I probably wouldn't have much to talk about with, but would love to watch at work. That whole trendy Eastern philosophical plane is of course inexcusable... but wait... It's a sci-fi after all! (2015-01-14)

I don't care how true the scientific facts are, which the film very skilfully plays with and brilliantly combines with a nice romantic plot, the only thing that interests me is that Mike Cahill has done his job so well that the film, even with a lot of endlessly repeated existential reflections and a somewhat lengthy intro, does not fizzle out into the void, but thanks to its appealing form and cleverly constructed script with a touching and cinematically impressive finale, it will bite firmly into our subconscious and we will gladly keep it there for some time. A small movie, but without major hesitations or predictable twists. 80% (2015-08-17)