The Control

On the other hand, this might well be a film that would be better on a second viewing, like Christopher Nolan’s Memento. That thriller was a completely different, equally amazing experience the second time through, once you knew the secrets. Clearly, Schiller and Stasko are influenced by films like The Matrix and Inception. You may also be reminded of Dreamscape, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, or any of a number of films that explore the world inside a sleeping mind.

One plot element that stretches the limits of suspension of disbelief is that the project engineers conclude the ultimate endeavor to keep a person fully engaged in reality is to be a filmmaker, so they have the unconscious test subjects believe they are making a movie. This is too on the nose, far too obvious. Yes, of course, that’s what filmmakers would conclude; otherwise, they’d be veterinarians, pharmaceutical researchers, or pursue some other ambition. It’s like a novelist writing a novel with a protagonist who’s a brilliant novelist. It’s far too self-congratulatory. One might even say masturbatory. It’s also jarring enough to make a viewer wonder if they are in base reality or being punked inside a game world.

“…far too self-congratulatory.”

There are moments of brilliance to be sure. The relationship between Mike and Sophie (Sharon Belle) is beautifully done and builds the only real grounding in characters the viewer can connect with. Belle brings a veritas and warmth to Sophie that elevates every scene she’s in.

The theme of living inside a simulation has come up frequently lately, and The Control touches on that idea. Where is base reality? Who is in control? These are philosophical questions that are floating around the zeitgeist. If you have the patience to dig through the chaotic non-linear layers of ideas and scenes, characters, and fake realities, you may find this a rewarding film. Otherwise, you may be tempted to suspect you’re in a Star Trek holodeck and give the verbal command “computer, end program.”