I Origins

A smart, formally captivating, and unobtrusive film that is thematically so unusual that it will hold your attention despite some script crutches and shortcuts – especially towards the end of the performance. At the same time, it has a minimalist and indie low-budget feel, which only adds to its advantage, and a few suggestive scenes that definitely deserve attention (especially the elevator scene). More questions than answers, that's what a smart sci-fi viewer often expects and that's what they get here. It's a shame about the clichéd, but nicely groomed ending. (21/05/2015)

I don't care how true the scientific facts are, which the film very skilfully plays with and brilliantly combines with a nice romantic plot, the only thing that interests me is that Mike Cahill has done his job so well that the film, even with a lot of endlessly repeated existential reflections and a somewhat lengthy intro, does not fizzle out into the void, but thanks to its appealing form and cleverly constructed script with a touching and cinematically impressive finale, it will bite firmly into our subconscious and we will gladly keep it there for some time. A small movie, but without major hesitations or predictable twists. 80% (18/08/2015)

(49th KVIFF) This sci-fi movie is so non-conflicting that it’s almost unsuited for the festival. It’s the story of a molecular biologists whose research proofs the ungodly origin of the human eye, so that further research can then challenge this finding. The film doesn’t demand much from the viewer, never falls into a scientific rant or into deep philosophical speeches, even though it does have room for that. It’s well made, the story is interesting overall, even though it feels a bit too implausible and naive at times (for instance, the Indian woman who identifies a girl by a photo of an eye, even though she says she hasn’t seen her for several months). That said, in the middle of the bustle of the festival, I Origins felt like a pleasant rest and I was excited immediately after the screening, though the feeling fizzled out after some time. And yet, a nice four-star rating, the ending is very strong emotionally. (12/07/2014)

Recently, a relatively large number of interesting sci-fi works have been emerging, which don't rely so much on how sci-fi can be opulent and full of special effects, but rather on the idea itself. In this case, the idea exists, but I had a feeling that before the creators got to it, too much time had passed. Unfortunately, the ending is more emotional than anything else, and it didn't grab me as much as I would have liked. (09/12/2014)

I wasn’t expecting that much of a surprise. This is an absolute hit that is well filmed, well-acted and excellently written. The dialogues are realistic, the characters fully believable and the story, the main motif of which is the clash of materialistic and spiritual thinking, almost shocks with its thoughtfulness and intelligence. The charming and touching plot is actually simple, but it is done with surgical precision. It is a pity that the trailer reveals three-quarters of the film, as the plot is not very predictable and the film manages to keep its focus up to the halfway point (a similar theme was looked at perfectly, for example, in The Cloud Atlas). Definitely wait for the full ending after the closing credits; otherwise, you will miss the cute point. (01/07/2014)