I Origins - Im Auge des Ursprungs

Eine schlaue existenzielle Überlegung mit attraktiven, unvorhersehbaren Gerne-Wenden. Emotional sowie gedanklich beeindruckend. Ich mag Löwenzahn. Er wächst, wo er will, und man kann ihn nicht kaufen. (05.07.2014)

(49th KVIFF) This sci-fi movie is so non-conflicting that it’s almost unsuited for the festival. It’s the story of a molecular biologists whose research proofs the ungodly origin of the human eye, so that further research can then challenge this finding. The film doesn’t demand much from the viewer, never falls into a scientific rant or into deep philosophical speeches, even though it does have room for that. It’s well made, the story is interesting overall, even though it feels a bit too implausible and naive at times (for instance, the Indian woman who identifies a girl by a photo of an eye, even though she says she hasn’t seen her for several months). That said, in the middle of the bustle of the festival, I Origins felt like a pleasant rest and I was excited immediately after the screening, though the feeling fizzled out after some time. And yet, a nice four-star rating, the ending is very strong emotionally. (12.07.2014)

If the first 20 minutes hadn’t seemed to drag for so long, it would have been be an excellent sci-fi from the near future. This way, it took a while for the interesting eye theory to develop, which I not only thought about for a long time after the movie was over, but which I also found pretty original. I didn’t learn anything new but the movie cemented my idea that I really enjoy movies like this that are similar to Perfect Sense. They take the world as it is today and slightly change it to include something undiscovered so far and they let that sink in. It’s interesting and original and that’s what counts when it comes to movies. (27.08.2015)

Undoubtedly an original theme and adaptation, but here and there Cahill commits punishable missteps (led by the final "pedophile" ten minutes "I need to close the past, so come with me to my room to collect strawberries, my ex love". Are they sure it could not be eighteen years later and instead of eight?), but they have nothing to do with whether it is on a (rational) scientific/spiritual level, because in both of them it is interesting, though not always well presented to the viewer. (19.01.2015)

An excellent indie film with great actors, a great idea, and a powerful and touching story that could have easily happened. From the start, the film takes a look into the life of a molecular biologist and his work, and I found it both refreshing and engaging. The interesting scientific facts and intelligent dialogue kept me on my toes. Once the protagonist falls in love, the romantic level works, which then turns into an instant shock and a maddeningly uncompromising twist, which was properly shocking considering the genre. I still found the following events very unexpected, with one unpleasant situation after another, and luckily the finale comes with a strong emotional dose that swayed me decently. I never thought about my eyes like I did after watching this film. Clever and with a drive. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it in the end. 8/10. (18.07.2022)

It's not enough to read about this, this you must see. The way I Origins is shot, and the way the twists and turns occur here, is in a word, breathtaking. The ideas on which the film is based are presented to the viewer in such a simple yet compelling way that they begin to make sense to you and you don't doubt their reality. The cast is no less exceptional. For a film like this, it's great to have some new faces, as it makes the viewer focus more on the plot. My thoughts on this settled a bit during the night and I am raising my rating to full stars. (24.08.2015)

A smart, formally captivating, and unobtrusive film that is thematically so unusual that it will hold your attention despite some script crutches and shortcuts – especially towards the end of the performance. At the same time, it has a minimalist and indie low-budget feel, which only adds to its advantage, and a few suggestive scenes that definitely deserve attention (especially the elevator scene). More questions than answers, that's what a smart sci-fi viewer often expects and that's what they get here. It's a shame about the clichéd, but nicely groomed ending. (21.05.2015)

I don't care how true the scientific facts are, which the film very skilfully plays with and brilliantly combines with a nice romantic plot, the only thing that interests me is that Mike Cahill has done his job so well that the film, even with a lot of endlessly repeated existential reflections and a somewhat lengthy intro, does not fizzle out into the void, but thanks to its appealing form and cleverly constructed script with a touching and cinematically impressive finale, it will bite firmly into our subconscious and we will gladly keep it there for some time. A small movie, but without major hesitations or predictable twists. 80% (17.08.2015)

Ich hatte nicht erwartet, dass es so eine Überraschung sein würde. Ein absoluter Knaller, der hervorragend inszeniert, großartig gespielt und hervorragend geschrieben ist. Die Dialoge sind realistisch, die Charaktere vollkommen glaubwürdig und die Geschichte, deren Hauptthema der Konflikt zwischen materialistischem und spirituellem Denken ist, beeindruckt durch ihre Raffinesse und Intelligenz. Die bezaubernde und bewegende Handlung ist eigentlich einfach, aber mit chirurgischer Präzision umgesetzt. Schade, dass der Trailer fast drei Viertel davon verrät, denn die Handlung ist nicht besonders vorhersehbar und der Film schafft es ziemlich gut, seine Ausrichtung bis zur Hälfte zu verbergen (ein ähnliches Thema wurde zum Beispiel in "Cloud Atlas" hervorragend behandelt). Und warten Sie unbedingt bis zum Ende der Untertitel, sonst verpassen Sie einen entzückenden Höhepunkt. (01.07.2014)

I Origins deftly blends the popular "I fucking love science" idea of good-looking scientists in brightly lit labs writing in marker on windows facing the majesty of the autumnal Brooklyn Bridge with Instagram muckety-mucks, earbuds, NYC apartments, public transportation, and the constant feeling that it's six in the morning. It's probably already clear from this compilation that the science here comes in thirty-ninth place, and we're not really looking at anything higher/lower than a spiritual and rather fatalistic romance made by a man I probably wouldn't have much to talk about with, but would love to watch at work. That whole trendy Eastern philosophical plane is of course inexcusable... but wait... It's a sci-fi after all! (14.01.2015)

Recently, a relatively large number of interesting sci-fi works have been emerging, which don't rely so much on how sci-fi can be opulent and full of special effects, but rather on the idea itself. In this case, the idea exists, but I had a feeling that before the creators got to it, too much time had passed. Unfortunately, the ending is more emotional than anything else, and it didn't grab me as much as I would have liked. (09.12.2014)