Lapsis
Taking place in a not too distant sci-fi future, Lapsis tells the story of delivery man Ray (Dean Imperial), who is forced to become a “cabler” in an incomprehensible computer system to pay for his brother’s medical funds. Trekking through the forest to make cable connections in a large computer network, the out-of-touch Ray must learn about the technology that drives the new world he finds himself in – and the capitalist machine that drives the technology.
This is a film with a strong satirical bite. It seamlessly incorporates a number of messages about the gig economy, technology, corporate cultures and the commodification of human life under capitalism, working them into Ray’s character arc in engaging and challenging ways. These ideas are delivered with a very heavy hand, but appropriately so to make the intended points.
The effective satire of the piece is bolstered by excellent character work – Ray is a perfect audience surrogate everyman, and his struggles with the unfamiliar technology he finds himself dependent upon are at once funny and tragic. In addition, despite having a narrative that is heavily critical of the socio-economic systems that govern modern life (and their effects on the human psyche), Lapsis avoids being cynical about the workers that inhabit the machine. The inherent goodness of humanity is contrasted well against the cold face of capitalism, and the film balances sincerity and critique very effectively.
This is an intelligent and entertaining flick, conveying important truths about the nature of the modern world without coming off as sanctimonious, and telling a tender and very human story amid the modern economic and technological landscape. It integrates satire, character study and even a touch of sci-fi horror excellently, with the genres and moods flowing into one another to form a cohesive and touching whole.
Umar Ali
Lapsis is released digitally on demand on 5th July 2021.
Watch the trailer for Lapsis here:
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