Review
Paradise (Sci-Fi, Action, Thriller) (2023)
Director: Boris Kunz
Writer: Boris Kunz, Simon Amberger, Peter Kocyla
Stars: Kostja Ullmann, Marlene Tanczik, Corinna Kirchhoff, Iris Berben
Having developed innovative technology, a company manages to transfer years of someone's lifespan to another. This causes those less fortunate to be persuaded to opt in for financial gain, at the downside of ageing rapidly should there be an applicable donor.
After releasing at Filmfest München, "Paradise" reaches major audiences through streaming. Only having a couple of German films under his belt, Kunz undoubtedly provides his most prominent yet. It explores inconceivable advanced technology and the problematic implications it may bring. "Paradise" has been produced by NEUESUPER and distributed through Netflix.
In a future where a company called AEON developed time-transferring technology, finding donors to alter lives and allowing some to extend their lives while shortening others. As the company grows, it's increasingly leading to privatisation within governments, such as the law using the technology to deliver sentences. People are hurt and victimised by these practices; compelled by his own experiences, a sales agent of AEON fights back, trying to kidnap the CEO to solve his situation and confront those responsible in a direct manner.
Imagine if you could donate years of your life… Rapidly ageing five, ten or even fifteen years for substantial financial benefit. The wealthy and famous are using your donated time to extend their lives immeasurably and change the world. This is part of Kunz's feature or rather a question it poses, alluring yet morally fallible and an alluring concept, certainly for science fiction.
These types of science fiction aren't uncommon, especially in action thriller form. Yet, despite the hard-to-believable technology, "Paradise" is made to be believed. Eventual changes to the narrative flow aren't on a dime.
Intelligently introducing AEON with a commercial, Kunz's feature provides moral questions within the initial sections of "Paradise", captivating with auspicious technology as a snake under the grass will be conspicuous to most. Ullman's Max is the incarnate form until confronted with the true villain of the story, which is AEON itself, primarily CEO Sophie Theissen. The Adam Group, an anarchistic anti-movement towards the company, awakens those who haven't noticed the shady implications behind the technology. Before long, the quasi-intelligent sci-fi turns into a revenge action movie that is honestly a bit of a shame.
Recently, there have been more and more instances of Netflix taking foreign films and series and publishing them on their streaming service, with series generally performing well if they're not cancelled. Still, something like "Dark" is a prime example. In "Paradise", there are clever attributes, and while I preferred the beginning, even when it's heavy on the thriller part, it's a fair watch throughout.
Verdict
Not quite Paradise.
6.8
