Netflix Original Movie Review "Paradise", There was no paradise <영화 영어>

In the future of Germany, a company called AEON has developed a technology that can manipulate people's lifespans at will. Impoverished people sell their time, while wealthy people buy it to preserve their youth. Sophie Theissen, CEO of AEON, asserts that their technology will prolong the lives of geniuses such as Mozart, leading to progress in humanity. The terrorist organization Adam opposes them, and they kill those who have undergone the procedure. AEON selects Max, an outstanding worker, and he enjoys happy days with his wife Elena, unaware of the impending misfortune.

<Information>

Genre: Sci-Fi

Original Language: German

Director: Boris Kunz

Realease Date: 2023

Runtime: 1h 57m

Distributor: Nextflix

 

 

_Plot

Max and Elena purchase their dream apartment with substantial loan. They imagine a happy life, imagining a perfect home with their child. But, the night they visit Elena's parents and return, their apartment is turned into ashes by a fire. Their lawyer claims that the unattended candle caused the fire, but Elena's memory is different.

 

The bank that granted the loan for the apartment asks them to repay the money immediately. Elena's only collateral is her time, which she pledged for an astonishing 40 years when she took out the loan. Max tries to sell Elena's time on a behalf, but the beneficiary with the matching DNA has recently died in a motorcycle accident. Soon, AEON takes away 40 years of Elena's life.

 

In a dingy and messy apartment they have to move into, Max and Elena can only watch as Elena ages rapidly. Before her time was taken away, Elana experienced pregnancy and even suffered a miscarriage. She aged quickly and realized that she couldn't have the marriage she desired with Max. She didn't want to abandon Elena and made an effort to get her time back by illegal methods. 

The person who took Elena's time is none other than Sophie Theissen, the CEO of AEON, Max kidnaps her during a moment of vulnerability. He persuades Elena to reclaim her time and to start anew. Max and Elena cross borders in disguise, searching for a doctor who can perform the procedure. However, Elena is reluctant to kidnap people for their time illegally. Furthermore, the kidnapped Thiessen claims to be not Sophie Thiessen but her hidden daughter Maire Thiessen.

 

Max believes Thiessen is lying. They take a break in an abanbdoned hotel, and theissen, using the excuse if wanting to take a shower, attacks Max when he lets his guard down and escapes. Elena late finds Thiessn stuck in the swamp and brings her back to the hotel, While watching Theissen clean off the mud Elena notices that there are no marks on her body from the procedure, unlike her own. She believes Theissen might be the real Marie.

 

As they run, the terrorist Adam appears. At first, Adam intended to use them as bait to draw out Sophie Thiessen and murder her, but things didn't as go planned. Sophie's survival from the assassination attempt resulted in a face-off between her troops and Adam's.

_Ending

 

Max, Elena and Marie barely survive and continue on their way with Marie. They realize that the fire in their apartment and the sudden death of Max's beneficiary were part of Sophie's scheme to take Elena's time. However, Max hesitates to steal Marie's time, as he now knows for sure that she is not lying about her identity. Elena, who had been struggling with inner conflicts, changes and leaves Max in the car, taking Marie to find a doctor to restore her time.

 

Elena visits a place where refugees illegally have their time taken. Despite her reservations, she takes Marie's time, regaining her youth. The movie ends with Max witnessing Elena with another man and a child, but he walks away. Max, once a top employee of AEON, is now part of Adam, an armed group opposing AEON, working to eliminate inequality and fight for the children.

_Review

 

The notion of humans manipulating each other's lifespans is exciting and innovative. Despite its short run time, the middle of the movie felt dull. The attempt to depict a futuristic innovation seemed insufficient. The synopsis lacked clarty due to the vague reason for Elena's decision to go on a rampage and begin a new life with a man and a child while emphasizing ethics.

 

The movie effectively conveys the messages that no matter how advanced future societies become in science, a paradise cannot be achieved without ethics, morality, and compassion for humanity. It's not a dystopian film masterpiece, but those who enjoy German cinema with a unique twist should consider it.

 

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