One day Sky woke up and knew everything. Everything that had been, and everything that would be. While scientists try to study him (by asking Trivial Pursuit questions apparently), Sky himself struggles with this new power and what it has done to his life.
Watching a lot of short films online means often you find yourself watching university projects which later were uploaded to Vimeo and other such sites; Enigma is one such film. Considering this, it actually has a fairly ambitious idea, which is thematically similar to the plight of Watchmen's Dr Manhattan in that a normal person suddenly finds himself being some form of god. It is an interesting idea and one that could be well suited to a low-budget short, since "ideas" do not require big special effects budgets to be pulled off. Unfortunately Enigma doesn't manage to make the most of the idea. It goes along a decent narrative line in terms of character arc, touching on things like Sky's struggle and of course the struggles of others to want to know everything, but it doesn't explore them or deliver upon in a way that really engages the viewer to satisfies.
The limited resources are part of this, but I don't think budget was the issue. The limiting factors are really in the writing, for not having more meat on these bones. This in turn perhaps limits the acting, which is functional but doesn't help the film expand on the words by virtue of the performances – for example, Brookins doesn't really convey what he says he feels, instead he mostly looks like someone a bit annoyed at something mildly inconvenient. Of course production values and locations also need sharpening, but the "idea" basis for the film helps limit the impact of that.
Still, very much a student film and much more of a learning experience for those involved than it is a rewarding experience for the viewer.
Watching a lot of short films online means often you find yourself watching university projects which later were uploaded to Vimeo and other such sites; Enigma is one such film. Considering this, it actually has a fairly ambitious idea, which is thematically similar to the plight of Watchmen's Dr Manhattan in that a normal person suddenly finds himself being some form of god. It is an interesting idea and one that could be well suited to a low-budget short, since "ideas" do not require big special effects budgets to be pulled off. Unfortunately Enigma doesn't manage to make the most of the idea. It goes along a decent narrative line in terms of character arc, touching on things like Sky's struggle and of course the struggles of others to want to know everything, but it doesn't explore them or deliver upon in a way that really engages the viewer to satisfies.
The limited resources are part of this, but I don't think budget was the issue. The limiting factors are really in the writing, for not having more meat on these bones. This in turn perhaps limits the acting, which is functional but doesn't help the film expand on the words by virtue of the performances – for example, Brookins doesn't really convey what he says he feels, instead he mostly looks like someone a bit annoyed at something mildly inconvenient. Of course production values and locations also need sharpening, but the "idea" basis for the film helps limit the impact of that.
Still, very much a student film and much more of a learning experience for those involved than it is a rewarding experience for the viewer.