Exceptional Beings

Yes, the vast majority of Exceptional Beings is people talking. Apollo, Hermes, and Athena discuss their distaste for “Father,” Poseidon (a fantastic Eric Roberts cameo) drones on about how the three main gods are close to violating the truce, while Mina repeats the same few lines over and over… for a while at least. However, outside of the awkward beginning, the screenplay is intelligent.

More importantly, when there is an action sequence, it is quite fun. The editing is never too choppy, so it is easy to follow who is doing what and where they are. Also, due to all the conversations, when a fight does break out, it has some actual weight to it. Each battle means something and is happening for a specific reason, as the story is extremely character driven.

“…Antonelli…steals the entire production…”

The cast of Exceptional Beings is very good. Carter is excellent as the perpetually angry Athena. Her talk with the oldest man ever is oddly sweet and sincere, and she sells the character’s threats of murder well. Oliver gives Hermes a slick charm that makes him impossible to resist. Roberts has only the one scene, but he’s commanding and clearly having fun. Thundat is relatable and appropriately plays up how scared her character is. But this fantasy drama belongs to Antonelli, who steals the entire production from every other person on screen. She’s luminous as Apollo, being sweet, vulnerable, appreciative, and utterly badass all at once. It’s a starling and impressive bit of acting that signals big things to come for the actress.

However, what amazes the most about the film is the special effects. While the movie is an independent production, and that is obvious from time to time, the way Kazadi and Anthony use CGI is clever. The effects aren’t the smoothest, but they successfully play up the ethereal nature and cosmic powers of the leads. This allows for some pretty cool imagery to take hold. As the trippy nature of what the gods are capable of comes to fruition, it is eye-catching and visually ambitious.

Exceptional Beings starts off rough, as there’s so much information so fast, it is jarring. However, the picture finds the right path after not too long. While fans of action may be left wanting, as this is a drama, first and foremost, the script is smart and develops the main characters well. In addition, the effects are excellent, considering the resources the filmmakers had at their disposal. But what makes this truly stand out is the pitch-perfect cast. Every actor does a great job, with Antonelli being incredibly marvelous in every way.