Colley’s “Ted & Mary” is by far the most heartbreaking segment in Immortals. It focuses on an aging couple, Ted (Tony Todd) and Mary (Robin Bartlett), as they surrender to the inevitable. Sick of battling her terminal illness, Mary resorts to assisted suicide. A film crew, led by Alex (Vanessa Lengies), arrives to document her last testimony and spread awareness about this controversial way of passing. As they get ready for the shoot in separate rooms, Ted and Mary speak of each other fondly, gently. So much so that Alex can’t help but “feel the feels,” even volunteering to stay for the procedure. Though a tad manipulative and relentlessly morose, “Ted & Mary” is bound to shatter your heart, largely thanks to Todd and Bartlett’s wonderful, understated performances.
“…effortlessly transcends its flaws.”
“Warren,” Debach’s contribution, is the weakest segment of the four, which is odd, considering Dabach (rather eloquently) wrote the entire film. It almost functions as a superhero origin story. After he gets run over by a car, and consequently resurrects himself, the insecure Warren (Samm Levine) discovers his “power.” He futilely tries to kill himself by slicing his wrists and drowning. When he realizes that he is, in fact, immortal, Warren can no longer sleep or eat. Perhaps salvation lies in finding the woman that left him bleeding on the road?
Bolstered by the impressive cast and Dabach’s memorable dialogue (“The pedagogical relationship definitely adds an element of tension,” a character proclaims hilariously at one point), Immortal effortlessly transcends its flaws. Sure, there’s a slight lack of coherence and vacillation in quality, both of which stem from its fractured structure. Some questions do arise – wouldn’t most of these characters, akin to Bruce Willis’s David Dunn in Unbreakable, have realized they’re immortal by now? – and there are some moments of pretentiousness. But when the overall effect is this ballsy and original, such things are forgivable. Immortal may not last forever in your memory, but it’s sure to leave a lasting imprint.
"…Immortal may not last forever in your memory, but it’s sure to leave a lasting imprint."
