Anything relating to a stylish, intelligent, and entertaining sci-fi movie doesn’t exist within Division 19. Its intentions are interesting and a timely take on what’s wrong with the world. However, director S.A. Halewood has bitten off way more than she can chew and it’s a sight for sore eyes in her execution. The story is excruciatingly imitative, the action is stale, and the acting is bland.
It’s 2039 where over-crowded prisons are the biggest, most entertaining reality TV show in the world with online subscribers making all the decisions for clueless felons. The most popular of those imprisoned is Hardin Jones (Jamie Draven) and corporations are cashing in on him. But Neilsen (Alison Doody) has bigger plans for him.
She’s the face of Panopticon Interactive, the company that’s built this interactive juggernaut, and she wants to remove the bars Hardin has been living behind and put him into the “New Town.” It’s a twist on The Truman Show where prisoners live among each other and will interact with the general public, and the prize, if they pass, is finally getting back into society.
Sounds fun, huh? Who wouldn’t want to watch that?!
Hardin’s brother Nash (Will Rothhaar) is involved in an off-grid rebel group that’s not going to let that happen. They’re expert hackers who want to bring the whole damn system down. Being anonymous isn’t allowed, but they are doing it and being a pain in the ass for Charles Lynden (Linus Roache), the Head of Central Control. What’s Central Control? They’re the ones who keep watch on everyone everywhere. If they don’t know who or where you are – you might as well be dead and they’ll make sure of that.
From the direction to the editing to the visual effects – Division 19 is incomplete and insufficient. Halewood’s vision may have appeared revolutionary on paper, but it’s DOA on screen. This emotionless, flat-out dumb dystopian debacle is incapable of capitalizing on its big ideas to save its life.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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