Immortality.

What price would you pay to stay youthful, free from illness, a prolonged life?

Scientist Sterling Pierce (Scott Bakula) dedicated his entire life to exactly that, eventually being able to bottle immortality in small doses in a serum he called Divinity.

But it was too late for him, however his son Jaxxon Pierce (Stephen Dorff) continues with the research, producing the serum and managing an empire.

That is until two mysterious celestial brothers intervene… too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and there’s a reason humans do not last forever.

Divinity is a truly creative masterpiece. Filmed in black and white which compliments the utopian flavour and explores both the fragility of life, the complications of human desires and the miracle of our existence.

Directed and written by Eddie Alcazar, Divinity is a twisty, brooding science fiction originality that fuses various genres of film in to one, including stop motion.

It is also a film that makes you think, feel and realise that eventually we all return to nature, become a mere spec within the cosmos once again. As was intended.

The post Divinity (Utopia Sumerian – 2023) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A mashup of comic books, thrills and Alice in Wonderland inspired themes, Amazon Prime’s new series Utopia combines violence, quirks, humour and family to create a television show that you might sometimes struggle to understand, but makes it all the more fun and willing to stick around for.

Utopia had a spunk about it I liked from the beginning.

Perhaps a television series I wouldn’t usually go near for its combination of comedy and violence, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself letting the episodes roll over to the next and being taken on the journey with a band of misfits. Their relatable quirks made each character unique, especially in the beginning, but a lack of sincere character development made them eventually blur into your typical young adults trying to survive against the baddies and save the world.

A creative project that doesn’t shy away from making risky narrative decisions regarding the fate of main and minor characters is always appreciated in my opinion. It’s more realistic and lets the audience know that the stakes are indeed high. No one is safe so you best be on the edge of your seat. Despite this, what lacked in Utopia was heart. As mentioned, Utopia presented itself as a show willing to take risks and yet became predictable and lacklustre, relying more and more on violence and gore for humour and dramatic sake.

Adapted from the British television series of the same name, many would argue that Amazon’s version of Utopia struggled to find its own footing in comparison to the much loved 2013 television series. As someone who hasn’t seen the 2013 series, I really can’t comment but I can understand where people are coming from. It is good to separate creative projects even if they do come from the same story or inspiration though.

Amazon Prime’s Utopia had potential but unfortunately lost its way across the course of the season. Even if it did come with fun and the odd risk to keep you around for more, it’s lack of heart and a true emotional connection made the show uninspiring.

The post Utopia Season 01 (Amazon Prime) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.