The Applecalypse

As the debut short-film of 21 year old Vietnamese director Minh Ngô, this film is perhaps one of the most unique projects produced in recent memory. This film was created in an attempt to create a brand new “Neo-Mythical” genre, defined by its absurdist, high energy, and historically-inspired (emphasis on inspired) characteristics. But does ‘The Applecalypse’ succeed in this pursuit?

Ngô claims he is making an ‘active effort to ensure that his works will be unlike anything the audience have ever seen before, on both a conceptual and emotional level’. However it could be argued that what makes this project so unprecedented is how it utilises a mix of familiar forms of media in order to create something fresh. In this piece the creative team emulates classic silent films, with a lack of dialogue and monochromatic visuals, but it begins to stylistically differ early on in the narrative as it introduces colour isolation creating a striking image of a bright red apple against the colourless backdrop. There is also a metatextual aspect to the style as later on; the protagonists actually see the dialogue cards and wield them as physical objects to battle with.

The plot itself seems to follow a humorous blend of real life, biblical, and cultural events – mixing the story of Adam and Eve with a comical rivalry between Steve Jobs and Sir Isaac Newton, both of whom have strong historical ties to an apple.

With a silent film, a lot of the entertainment value rides on the music that is laid on top of it. Flint Steppenrock does a fantastic job of scoring this piece, always tailoring each track to the beats of the unfolding farce, and crescendoing in an epic piece befitting of the battle taking place. Although not the typical style for a silent film, this divergence from tradition works in the film’s favour.

With minimal set and costume design, one might think that this would limit the craft, but for a surreal project like this it lends itself very well to the aesthetic. However, I feel there are some unusual moments that take the audience out of the experience, such as a moment mid-way through the film set in the clouds against a green screen backdrop. Given the hands-on approach to the rest of the film, this feels jarringly out of place and could easily have benefitted from a practical set.

Ultimately, with its focus on absurdism, humorous tone, and charming melodramatic performances – The Applecalypse is a refreshing change of pace and truly succeeds in establishing a unique style. Minh Ngô is an artist worth keeping an eye on, and I cannot wait to see what he creates next.