Humanity now lives in a world rife with technology. Every year more and more technological advancements are made, with gaming being one area in particular in which users frequently seek even deeper levels of immersion and play. In director James Croake’s debut feature Latency he explores the idea of gaming technology that not only immerses the gamer fully into the game, it immerses itself fully into the gamer’s mind.
In theaters on June 14, 2024 through Lionsgate, Latency follows Hana (Sasha Luss: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets 2017, Anna 2017). Once an up and coming professional gamer, Hana is now viewed as a bit of a has been. Suffering from acute agoraphobia, Hana lives as almost a complete recluse spending her days gaming alone in her dingy and dank apartment. The only person she sees is her best friend Jen (Alexis Ren: Deported 2020, The Enforcer 2022), who frequently tries to encourage Hana to leave her apartment to no avail. One day, Hana receives a device that any gamer would die for. She is asked to test out a new device which promises to enhance a gamer’s skills through A.I. leading to unlimited neurological abilities. Undoubtedly thrilled, however, she becomes more and more reliant and enveloped in the device, thus she starts to lose her grip on reality.
One of Latency’s most impressive elements is how well it uses its location. A one location film, all the action takes place in Hana’s apartment. Considering the dankness and darkness of the apartment, this could have made the film very visually boring. However, instead, this enhances the feeling of claustrophobia and of being trapped both literally and figuratively. Hana is trapped by her agoraphobia and then later is trapped in her own mind. Throughout it all the audience feels the need to break out and break free. Beyond this, Sasha Luss is also a highlight; carrying the film throughout and abstracting just the right amount of empathy from the audience so that she is easy to root for. Her portrayal of Hana is relatable, even when the audience disagrees with her actions.
Where Latency is slightly weaker is in its overall concept and narrative. The basic premise of an A.I. that becomes too powerful and thus too scary is a good one – and it is an especially good one in regard to gaming. Virtual reality gaming is already a big thing and so for a device like the one presented in the film to be developed and made feels realistic. However, once Hana starts to be affected by the device, it feels as though the film slows down and runs out of steam. Hana has little to do but see things that are not there and grin manically at herself. In this way, the concept falls a little flat. The audience does not see the result of what a powerful A.I. could really do, but rather, they see a girl going crazy. With this, Latency becomes more of a Horror rather than a Sci-Fi Thriller film.
In the end, being Croake’s first feature, Latency feels as if it may have worked better overall as a short. However, Latency has some great ideas and Croake is a director to look out for in the future. That is why Cryptic Rock gives this movie 3 out of 5 stars.
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