SEAM: A relevant sci-fi thriller with a social conscience
What if Blade Runner, a Clockwork Orange and District 9 had a child? You would be looking at SEAM. A refreshing sci-fi thriller with a social conscience from Master Key Productions.
They asked for freedom and independence. We refused.
Let There Be Light
The opening sequence in this short film is very powerful and heart wrenching. An Asian man (Stephen Au) is in deep conversation with his wife (Alva Chun). It becomes apparent that they are saying goodbye. When she walks away with his daughter (Wong) in tow, you can feel his pain.
Then it begins. His transformation. The veins in his neck start glowing. His hands turn black. It is as if he is irradiating from the inside out before exploding in a sea of white light.
This man was a suicide machine, almost human yet not human. Much like Star Wars, this film is a treat for the eyes. From the Blade Runneresque background of a major metro to the sumptuous detail paid to the Jordanian desert with its Lawrence of Arabia dunes and porous cliffs.
The Consequences of War
We learn that the machines who have served us faithfully throughout our lives wanted their independence and freedom. As humans, we refused it. So, a war began that went on for ages until peace was achieved.
Finally, the machines had their own place in the desert. The boundary between the human sector and their territory is known as the SEAM.
What made all of this feel familiar is we are living this type of situation in today’s world. One can clearly see the state of affairs in the Middle East especially with the division in the Holy Land. The heavily militarized zone, the constant monitoring of citizens, the paranoia of always having to look over your shoulder and the distrust of anything that isn’t homogenized.
One can almost say that the distrust of anything that isn’t “normal” echoes the current political climate in this country. That is what the writing and directing duo of Elan and Rajeev Dassani were clearly hoping to achieve.
Love Among the Ruins
Ayana (Rakeen Saad) and Yusef (Kahlid Al Gwairi) are a young couple having a typical day out and about at the bazaar when she is detected for being a machine. Once this is set in motion, the guardians are relentless in trying to locate her.
The Commander (Oded Fehr of the Mummy franchise) will stop at nothing to locate his prey. Ayana and Yusef are in his crosshairs. What happens at the end will shred your soul and leave you wanting more.
The Verdict
Everything about this film grabs you from the beginning. You are immediately sucked into the story. The writing is masterful and the actors are believable.
Emotions are taut and it feels like your heart will literally rip in two but SEAM is worth it. This is a tale that needs to become a full-length feature. Let’s hope that happens.
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