★★★☆☆
HERE is the cinematic adaptation of Richard McGuire’s graphic novel “Here” by Robert Zemeckis is as daring as it is bewildering. The concept: a single, unbroken shot through the history of a house and the family that inhabits over time that never really pulls you in. Here falls down on its storytelling.
What looks like a family drama with a nested structure of generations is continually interrupted from almost pointless vignettes from other eras. The switches between the times feel jarring and unnecessary; nothing connects the strands, and the end result is a bit unsatisfying.
The film employs
The film deploys AI de-aging technology on Hanks and Robin Wright that at times feels super strange, watching Hanks made me feel like I was watching reruns of Bosom Buddies. (Long shots are fine, but close-ups are a little eerie.)
The family drama at times feels lackluster when I know it’s meant to make you feel something, it just never does that. It just wasn’t believable, I think due to the scattered nature of all the other stories inserted in. Here could have been an impressive film in its individual parts, but perhaps not entirely successful as a whole.
The visuals are interesting, the film technically cutting edge, but a narrative scrambled in time and underdeveloped characters keep it from achieving its full potential. If you’re looking for a visually distinctive experience, Here might be for you. If you want something that is well-developed and carries an emotionally engaging story, you might want to look elsewhere.
