What would you risk to save the one you love? Can one person successfully conquer corporate evil? Utopia, the latest effort from stuntman turned Director James Bamford (Air Force One Down, Shadowland 2024), attempts to blend Sci-Fi, Action, and Thriller elements but ultimately falls flat. Despite the promising premise of a soldier, played by Moe Dunford (Vikings series, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022), searching for his missing wife, Charlotte Vega (Wrong Turn 2021, Burial 2022), who has been forced into a sinister business, the film struggles to deliver on its potential. Distributed by Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label) and on digital on December 10th, Utopia relies heavily on gratuitous nudity and a convoluted plot to try and reel in the audience. Still, its shallow character development and lack of narrative focus leave it feeling more like a hollow spectacle than a gripping Thriller.
It all opens with a heavy-handed narrative about “women’s history of helping men be their best” and men’s supposed need for “the perfect woman.” While this seems intended to establish the societal beliefs within the film’s dystopian world, it instead comes across as a troubling endorsement of these ideas. For viewers attuned to issues of gender equality, the film risks being interpreted as a nod to extremist ideologies rather than a critique of them. This impression is only reinforced by the filmmaker’s choice to include gratuitous nudity of the female characters, which undermines any attempt to condemn the abusive men who are ostensibly the villains. Instead, the film leaves the uncomfortable sense that it sympathizes more with its antagonists than it should. It would be surprising to learn if any women were involved in the making of this film.
The plot of Utopia had undeniable potential, but it feels like a watered-down version of Westworld – minus the compelling depth and the robots. Where Westworld masterfully explored the complexities of free will, morality, and the blurred lines between humanity and artificial intelligence, Utopia fails to offer similar layers of intrigue. Instead, it leans on shallow world-building and predictable twists, ultimately delivering a derivative narrative that lacks the originality and sophistication needed to stand out in the Sci-Fi genre.
Furthermore, the music and cinematography in Utopia evoke a distinctively dated feel reminiscent of the low-budget adult movies that aired late at night on Showtime in the 1990s. The score relies heavily on generic, moody synths that fail to heighten tension or atmosphere. At the same time, the cinematography is riddled with clichéd slow-motion shots and heavy-handed lighting that make the film feel more like a relic of a bygone era than a modern Sci-Fi Thriller. These choices undermine the narrative and rob the film of the polish and intensity needed to leave a lasting impression. If anything, this lack of sophistication leads the film into the ‘so bad it’s funny genre.
Ultimately, Utopia is a film that promises much but delivers little, struggling to find its footing between Sci-Fi, Action, and social commentary. What could have been a gripping exploration of dystopian themes and the human spirit is instead reduced to a hollow spectacle weighed down by poor creative choices. With a derivative plot, dated aesthetics, and an offensive lack of self-awareness, the film fails to engage on any meaningful level. While it might find a niche audience among those who enjoy unintentional camp, Utopia is unlikely to leave a lasting mark on the Sci-Fi genre… or its viewers. This is why Cryptic Rock gives Utopia 1 out of 5 stars.
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