David Cronenberg meets Mary Shelly in Closer To God, coming to VOD and limited theaters on July 3rd.
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"Awwwww....that little bastard
is soooo dang cute." |
Billy
Senese’s Closer to God is only 72
minutes short, but touches the deepest parts of your spine, sending disturbing
chills straight to your inner core. The horror that comes from
possible scientific breakthroughs will have your mind racing with thoughts you previously only
read about in books. As a woman, the thought of creating life has always
frightened me, not because it is scary in itself, but because of the unknown
aspects. This fear rings true for many women. Closer to
God feeds on this loud symbol of life that evokes a consistent terror in all human beings.
Not
being a parent, I cannot fathom the responsibility and sheer devotion required. The same can be said for those who sacrifice their
lives in the name of science. This is where Closer
to God was headed. In the film, we meet a doctor named Victor Reed; not just
any doctor, but a genetic scientist who accomplishes cloning the world’s first
human being. Taking place in present times, the movie portrays Victor Reed's moral dilemma as he is plagued with
constant bombardment from religious extremists, media, and colleagues who claim him to be the new
Frankenstein and flood him with negativity.
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"This robe makes me look
so professional." |
As a viewer, you won't be sure whether to agree or
disagree, and will find yourself sweating to find answers to your many questions, some of which
won’t be answered, but that’s the point. Closer
to God leaves many areas to your imagination, forcing you to fill in the
gaps of a story that could use a bit of editing. Although I was expecting more, the film does
triumph overall, and ends in the only way it could.
Making
Closer to God even more powerful and
straining to watch is the score. The music is ominous and quiet, perfectly
paired with the mostly grey tones, and creating a suspense that keeps you in sync with Victor
Reed’s perspective. Closer to God
allows viewers to peek into their own moral standards regarding an obstacle we could very well possibly face in the future. This is a film that encompasses what could be the most frightening and beautiful aspect of humanity: evolution.
-H
