Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Set in a near-future world where there is no privacy, ignorance or anonymity, our private memories are recorded and crime almost ceases to exist. In trying to solve a series of unsolved murders, Sal Frieland stumbles onto a young woman who appears to have subverted the system and disappeared. She has no identity, no history and no record. Sal realizes it may not be the end of crime but the beginning. Known only as 'The Girl', Sal must find her before he becomes the next victim.
Anon is a sleek, visually ambitious sci-fi noir from Andrew Niccol that excels in its cold, immersive cinematography — the POV augmented-reality sequences are genuinely striking and constitute the film's strongest asset. The premise is intriguing and the dystopian world-building is coherent, though the plot follows a fairly predictable procedural structure and the mystery resolves without real surprise. Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried deliver competent but somewhat muted performances that fit the sterile tone but rarely elevate beyond it. The ending is the weakest element, feeling abrupt and undercooked given the thematic weight the film was building toward. As a Niccol high-concept piece it has personality, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of Gattaca.