"USS Callister", the episode that opens the fourth season of the "Black Mirror" series, came from a good idea for a premise, but the premise is poorly set and realized even worse.
I like spoofs on the Star Trek franchise and its fanatics. I like the set design and the overall retro approach to the aesthetics of this episode. I also like the futuristic technology of virtual reality, although practically the same thing has already been seen in the episode "San Junipero".
"USS Callister" raises moral issues related to artificial intelligence and (mis)use of modern technologies, typically for "Black Mirror". It also brings us a study of the character of a macho bully, behind whose self-confident machoism and misogyny hides a difficult form of a lower value complex of a Trekkie nerd, a frightened and immature, but successful programmer and owner of a VR company.
On the other hand, it is all very badly packaged in a story that had the potential for a serious and tense mindfak drama, and it turned out to be linear and unconvincing, like a children's picture book. Even the victory of good over evil in this story does not work well, because almost all the characters are more or less "villains", and our "heroes" are in fact villains overly punished for their "crimes" by a mentally ill person, who also does not deserves an end like this.
Although promising at the start, the episode "USS Callister" has developed into a story full of completely incredible logical and technological holes and omissions, which we might be able to ignore for the sake of convincing characters with whom we can connect, cheer for them and fear for their destinies, or for the sake of strong moral. But when the "heroes" of the story are two-dimensional and just as repulsive as the "villain", and the moral message crap itself, then the only thing that can pull out a film is a powerful and well-written story, which this one certainly isn't.
Technically well done, with an interesting aesthetics, but hollow in both the plot and the essence, this "Black Mirror" episode left me with a bland taste in my mouth.
6/10.
I like spoofs on the Star Trek franchise and its fanatics. I like the set design and the overall retro approach to the aesthetics of this episode. I also like the futuristic technology of virtual reality, although practically the same thing has already been seen in the episode "San Junipero".
"USS Callister" raises moral issues related to artificial intelligence and (mis)use of modern technologies, typically for "Black Mirror". It also brings us a study of the character of a macho bully, behind whose self-confident machoism and misogyny hides a difficult form of a lower value complex of a Trekkie nerd, a frightened and immature, but successful programmer and owner of a VR company.
On the other hand, it is all very badly packaged in a story that had the potential for a serious and tense mindfak drama, and it turned out to be linear and unconvincing, like a children's picture book. Even the victory of good over evil in this story does not work well, because almost all the characters are more or less "villains", and our "heroes" are in fact villains overly punished for their "crimes" by a mentally ill person, who also does not deserves an end like this.
Although promising at the start, the episode "USS Callister" has developed into a story full of completely incredible logical and technological holes and omissions, which we might be able to ignore for the sake of convincing characters with whom we can connect, cheer for them and fear for their destinies, or for the sake of strong moral. But when the "heroes" of the story are two-dimensional and just as repulsive as the "villain", and the moral message crap itself, then the only thing that can pull out a film is a powerful and well-written story, which this one certainly isn't.
Technically well done, with an interesting aesthetics, but hollow in both the plot and the essence, this "Black Mirror" episode left me with a bland taste in my mouth.
6/10.