Keeley Brooks
Jan 11, 2023
Vesper
From time to time, I like to write about movies I watch and spill about them to all of you. Recently, my Dummy (husband) and I sat down to watch the movie “Vesper,” one of the latest independent science fiction films to hit theaters, then Video On Demand.
Starring Eddie Marsan ("Ray Donovan") and Richard Brake ("Peaky Blinders"), along with a cast of mostly unheard-of British talent, this dystopian drama is fantastic on multiple levels. The acting, storytelling, computer-generated effects, score, and cinematography all work brilliantly together to pay homage to classic sci-fi films, and with its post-apocalyptic backdrop, it’s the perfect formula for a standout dystopian flick.
Its plot centers around 13-year-old Vesper, played by extremely gifted child actor Raffiela Chapman, who is a young girl living alone with her bed-ridden father (Richard Brake) on the outskirts of the Citadel, which is, of course, the area built for the rich to live and thrive as the less fortunate are left to fend for themselves in a dying world of fear, violence, hunger, and no hope for a future.
Vesper’s father is bed-ridden due to an injury he received fighting for the Citadel and as a result, is left on a ventilator, paralyzed, unable to do anything but move his eyes. Vesper, being the genius she is, built a drone and hooked it up to her father’s brain so he could communicate with her. Together they must learn to survive in desperate conditions—an undertaking made slightly easier by Vesper’s mad bio-hacking skills … and I do mean mad. She is solely responsible for keeping him alive and healing any wounds that might develop, and the more we watch, the more we discover how integral Vesper and her wits are to the story's developments. Additionally, we learn she also grows plants with some of the most breathtaking abilities you’ve ever seen on film.
One day while out foraging in the woods, she comes across an injured woman and brings her home to heal her ... then we learn this woman is hiding a huge secret that may just save the entire world following the collapse of Earth’s ecosystem. I won’t reveal all the deets and spoil anything for you, but I will tell you if you’re looking for a great sci-fi film to get lost in, you’re gonna want to watch this one. The movie creates an astounding landscape with some crucially inventive special effects, and it doesn’t sidetrack itself by trying to explain every tiny little detail, thereby leaving some imagination up to the viewers.
"Vesper" is beautifully written story by French writer Bruno Samper and Kristina Buozyte of Lithuania, both known for 2012’s "Vanishing Waves." The screenplay was written by Brian Clark, who is best known for, you guessed it, "Vesper." It’s currently streaming on AMC+ and is available for rent on Video On Demand.
If there’s a rainy day in your future, take advantage and get lost in another world for a while. Its ending will leave you full of hope and sweetness, having rooted for Vesper the whole way through. You won’t be disappointed.
You're welcome.
Email the author at the_keeleybrooks@mixedaltmag.com