Holo

It may serve as a concept short for a potential eight-part miniseries, yet Holo stands apart from any further serialisation as a superbly crafted work of short sci-fi storytelling. The film follows two characters – one is the consumer and one assists in providing said consumer an unusual service. Claire enters a room divided in half by a special kind of glass; she will then come face to face with what looks to be her dead ex, who we come to realise was abusive. This figure she’s interacting with is but a superficial image portrayed by an actor wearing what we might recognise as a mocap suit.

 

It’s from here that the conversation escalates. There are a couple complex layers at play: for one, it’s already fascinating enough to witness a confrontational dialogue between an individual and their abuser; but additionally, the artifice of this interaction – like watching a play within a play – gives the audience a great deal to consider. It’s ethically murky territory, but also enjoyable to think about this being somebody’s job. If anything, this short could have done with a little more of the actor’s perspective. There are moments that slightly lack explanation which could have been remedied through depiction of process. For example, how much does either character know about the nature of this service?

 

Onto the technical, everything from the light and colour to the set and prop design demonstrates an inspiring level of creative care. There’s a softness to the cinematography which complements the film’s mise-en-scène of clean, modernist glass structures and decorative architecture. In that way, there’s a visual conversation taking place between form and content which is very effective. Almost every shot is gorgeously layered from a perspective of light and depth. The interior we see at the beginning is seemingly lit entirely with diffused light which, in this futuristic world, is also practical. An absolute achievement from a design standpoint.

 

There is clear potential here for an eight-part series. The reason being that the high-concept on display is not only interesting from an abstract standpoint, but it also asks implicit moral questions regarding the reality the film is presenting. Plenty to chew on over eight episodes. The only realistic complaint may be that audiences have seen stories like this before, and while the manner in which the conceit is delivered feels original, the base idea is not. However, more significant is the craft at hand in every department, in addition to the tensions and contradictions present in these characters. Therefore, the scenario might feel familiar, but the drama feels authentically new and rich.

 

Holo is a beautifully captured, engagingly written, well-performed piece about the influence of technology on an individual’s mourning and trauma. The windowed room in the story was designed to fulfil any person’s emotional needs – at least, on its surface. Presumably the show will go on to explore either how exploitative the process is, or, something will go wrong, exposing the true nature of this fictional system. And either way, this critic is all here for it.

Now Watch James' Video Film Review of Holo on our YouTube Channel.