The Eternal Recurrence is written and directed by Zeb Haradon. The filmmaker used various A.I. tools to complete the film, which is in the distinct vein of Dali and Buñuel. It’s surreal imagery wrapped in loosely connected dream scenarios. However, there is a thread to each one if one is paying enough attention. Is there a way audiences can invest and follow the plot, or is there too much surrealism for its own good?
Jim is the main character, and his career is not going well. Specifically, a co-worker screwed the pooch on a massive project, and now the big boss is berating said person over the phone. Jim hears every word of it, all while prepping for a big meeting just after lunch. But that meeting gets delayed, so after work, he heads home and watches a movie with his wife, Jill. Upon going to bed, the film enters Jim’s dreams. These dreams take up the vast majority of the 80-minute runtime.
Said dreams include a picnic on top of a car, random sayings from a guru, Jim being dead, his ex-girlfriend having become a vampire, and sharing a cell with an incarcerated cat. Of course, there are more dream sequences and a few more waking moments, though those are almost entirely work-related. But the point isn’t the story, rather, it is the overall vibe and odd experience that is the main takeaway.
“…a picnic on top of a car, random sayings from a guru, Jim being dead, his ex-girlfriend having become a vampire…”
Let’s get the bad of The Eternal Recurrence out of the way now. The film starts with a disclaimer, but it is sung and is so annoying and off-putting that it is simply unpleasant. Since this is the introduction, it leaves a bad taste in viewers’ mouths from the outset. Also, due to the nature and structure of the “plot,” parts start to feel repetitive in a frustrating way. How many times does the boss berating the co-worker over the phone need to be seen?
However, these issues are only a minor blot on such an ambitious and original feature. Haradon has a clear vision of the emotions of every dream sequence he wants to impart. The filmmaker also understands that dreams fade into each other and uses that to remarkable effect throughout. The stand out is when a car roof picnic turns into Jim’s head being buried in the desert. It is as strange as it sounds but also quite hypnotic.
The Eternal Recurrence is bold, in your face, and weirdly compelling. The disclaimer is disorienting in the wrong way, and not every scene works, but that doesn’t hurt the overall impact. Haradon’s feature film is weird and engaging, precisely as he intended.
For more information about The Eternal Recurrence, visit Zeb Haradon’s official site.
"…weird and engaging..."
