Narcopolis (2015)
Matt Boiselle
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Starring Elliot Cowan, Elodie Yung, Jonathan Pryce
Directed by Justin Trefgarne
With his first feature film debut now at his back, director Justin Trefgarne seems poised to divide and conquer, and Narcopolis is merely a stepping stone to what can (and should) be a prosperous career in filmmaking – this is some pretty good stuff.
With a look and feel like that of Blade Runner, the film’s spine consists of the fact that virtually all recreational drugs are completely legal (wow, now THIS could be interesting), and only the most portentous narcotics are off-limits… and WHO exactly is deciding what is what?
Frank Grieves (Cowan) is a DEA agent that is relieved off of a case involving a body that at the time had yet to be identified. All things are a bit mirrored in the current day and age here as the black market drug pushers are still barred from doing any type of business (as expected), and the major drug companies’ interests are protected, but now with the advent and allowance of rec-drugs, they sit even higher upon that highly guarded ivory tower – ain’t it funny how some things never change? As the never-ending struggle continues to wage war amongst those who need to survive, and those who survive to need, the infernal question remains – who will be left standing once all is said and done?
In Trefgarne’s depiction of a city that still has that glitter and gleam of a mainstream metropolis, it’s not until you make that deep dive down under its dermis to expose the rampant drug infection tearing at the city’s seams. There are cover-ups, exposed truths, and a laundry-list of surprises that await Grieves, who’s not only dealing with the raging drug issue, but also trying to reconnect with his wife and child in the midst of this complete cluster-f**k. I’ve not really seen visuals this clumsy in quite awhile (aside from some abhorrent found-footage), but for a movie that is obviously priding itself on its sweeping city-vistas, this one just felt stuttered and fluky.
Performance-wise, Cowan does an admirable job as the dogged agent, and he’s backed by a couple of more mysterious portrayals – one being a scientist (Pryce) who appears to be allergic to certain kinds of technology (don’t they make medications for that)?, and the other being Eva (Yung) – a seemingly interesting lass who really doesn’t have her backstory delved into – these omissions could only have helped the story, and the characters are somewhat lost in the shuffle as a result.
Overall, the shining winners of this entire presentation are the visuals themselves (aside from the aforementioned fumbles), and with a plausible storyline, especially considering where we’re at currently with the nation’s drug problems, Narcopolis gives a nice peek at what could potentially be the future. Worth at least a one-timer if you get the chance.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
