There is a lot of promise in this one.
by Martin Hafer
Iqbal Ahmed is a very inexperienced filmmaker. His credits are pretty sparse and The Answer is only the first full-length film he’s directed. He also wrote and produced the film…something not uncommon with up and coming indie filmmakers. So, because of the very low budget, I am willing to cut his film a bit of slack. So, while the production values and story left a bit to be desired, there is a lot of promise and I would sure like to see more of his films in the future.
The film begins with a creepy prologue. Women are being held captive as breeders by folks who dress a lot like members of the band Daft Punk! And, after they give birth, the women are viciously killed! So, it’s obvious from the onset that these folks are kindness impaired!
The story now jumps ahead many years. An unimpressive guy named Bridd (Austin Hébert) is working in the mail room of some stock trading company. He also looks a lot like a slightly more macho version of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. Who would suspect that this guy has hidden abilities that make him a bit of an action hero?!
- The Answer
- Directed by
Iqbal Ahmed - Cast
Austin Hébert, Alexis Carra, David S. Lee - Release Date
19 May 2016 - Martin’s Grade: C
But, after going out on a date with Charlotte (Alexis Carra), they find themselves in the middle of a murder scene…and the Daft Punk wannabes are looking to kill or capture Bridd and blood and mayhem abound. Can he and Charlotte manage to elude these weirdos as well as determine who they are and what this is all about by the end of the film?
There are a lot of neat story elements and the why of all this is pretty interesting…even though Bridd almost seems to magically figure it all out at times. The notion of aliens and a hybrid species as well as why they need these hybrids is intriguing. But, unfortunately, much of the film seems rushed and not quite worked out properly—especially the relationship between Charlotte and Bridd. It seems as if parts of the story are missing…and so it all moves too quickly to be realistic. Also, the soundtrack is intrusive and repetitive. Fortunately, there are enough good parts that make me want to see more from the filmmaker and his cast. Overall, a miss…but a near-miss that is still worth seeing.
