Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
2038: George Almore is working on a true human-equivalent AI, and his latest prototype is almost ready. This sensitive phase is also the riskiest as he has a goal that must be hidden at all costs—being reunited with his dead wife.
Archive (2020) is a visually striking debut from Gavin Rothery, with cinematography that genuinely impresses — the isolated Japanese mountain facility and cold, sterile aesthetic give the film a distinctive, melancholy atmosphere. The plot is a well-crafted slow-burn sci-fi drama that draws on familiar AI-and-grief territory (echoes of Ex Machina, Her, and Blade Runner), keeping it from truly standing out in novelty, though it executes its premise with sincerity. Acting is competent — Theo James is restrained to a fault, which suits the character but limits emotional range. The ending delivers a conceptual twist that recontextualizes the film in an interesting way, though some viewers find it either satisfying or frustratingly ambiguous depending on expectations. Overall a solid, atmospheric mid-budget sci-fi that punches above its weight visually but doesn't fully transcend its influences.