By pure chance, several of the most recent films I’ve watched have had elements in common: a certain kind of body-mod sci-fi has cropped up in films such as Parallax, with its riff on memory and mental states, and again in Peripheral, where one woman takes on futuristic tech in an attempt to maintain her sense of self. This brings me to Perfect (2018), which coincidentally blends all of these ideas; it’s a young man’s personal journey, refracted through futuristic tech and psychoactive add-ons. The resulting film is creative and visually-appealing, though plot is low in the mix.
We start with a young man who remains nameless throughout, only ever referred to in the credits as ‘Vessel 13’ (Garrett Wareing). Waking alongside a girl’s corpse and having no recollection of what has happened, he calls his mother in a panic. She (Abbie Cornish) comes to his aid, but rather than alerting the authorities, she decides it’s better to find her son a place in a remote clinic – somewhere she once received treatment, so that he can get ‘fixed’. The kinds of treatments offered vary, but fundamental to ‘the journey’ which he will be expected to take is the use of implants which distort (or is it improve?) perception.
However, whilst the other inmates seem to be making the kinds of progress required by the secretive organisation behind the clinic, known only to our young man by the voice which addresses him over his intercom, he struggles with it. He continues to suffer black-outs which hint darkly at the kinds of violence of which he’s capable, and although he forms a bond with another patient called Sarah, she rejects him – given his lack of progress. If this is his path, then it’s by no means a straightforward one and he is by no means assured of reaching the ‘perfect’ state he craves.
I will say that I’m not a fan of the monologue voiceover which underpins a good share of this film: I find the platitudes and self-help speak quite alienating, although I understand the need for it, given the rather lofty themes being explored. But what this film can boast above all is in its aesthetics – which are undeniably superb. From the look of the clinic itself – sparse, minimalist but augmented by a very specific style of technological hardware – through to the actors and their outfits (everyone in the film looks as though they could be cast in marble) and through to the incredibly lurid and imaginative psychoactive sequences, albeit that some of these do utilise the kind of retro-80s vibe so popular at the moment, this is a visually very attractive project throughout. There are some nods, perhaps, to Blade Runner – the kind of consumerism which offers items to ‘improve’ life – though in its developing levels of ordeal and body horror, there’s also some overlap with Starry Eyes. However, the story moves very slowly, to the point of being ponderous; the delivery of new implants tends towards being repetitive as the means of applying them is always the same, and there is very little exposition overall, even given the monologues which overlay proceedings. Perfect is very much a film for those who enjoy the experience of strong, creative visuals, happy to have those visuals wash over them for ninety minutes without reaching a marked crescendo of any kind.
This is science fiction which eschews high action and even characterisation, the better to have its complex themes play out in a visually-mesmerising way. It’s a sombre, reflective affair, existential rather than narrative-driven. Its creativity deserves praise, although there are some issues here for people who prefer their storylines a little more strongly-drawn.