Storm
Directed by Mans Marlind/Bjorn Stein
Danger After Dark

Storm is a film that has a lot of layers. At times it seems like the plot might get buried under countless layers, and the story is a bit cryptic, but this is an enjoyable sci-fi oriented thriller that puts similar themed US produced films to shame. Take bits of The Matrix, Blade Runner, Night Watch and possibly even The Bourne franchise and you have Storm, a fast paced, mind warping film that is never light on action. You may scratch your head a few times throughout, but pay attention and there is quite the story to experience here.

While the film has a comic book movie style to it, essentially the film revolves around the theme of good and evil. It's a bit light on telling exactly what the story revolves around but it seems that the main character DD has suppressed memories of his past and is leading a shallow and excessive existence to forget. The good side of the coin wants him to remember these things so he can move on out of the darkness so to speak, while the evil side wants him to continue down his current path in life. There definitely are a few parallels between this film and The Matrix although I would have to say this is probably the best film I have seen yet that draws from that particular influential action sci-fi film.

As DD digs deeper into his subconscious and begins to unravel his repressed memories the movie begins to get a lot weirder. The settings change frequently and this is where the movie really changes from a more gritty realistic film to having more of a sci-fi feel. This is where you really have to start paying attention or you are going to be completely lost.

The movie certainly throws a lot at you, but the interesting visuals and quick pace keep things moving. Each setting in the film is an interesting visual location, and there is usually quite a contrast between each. For instance when DD goes to his brother's apartment, it is incredibly bright and filled with light bulbs due to his brother being scared of the dark. Much of the film is dark and stylized so this definitely stands out even more.

Although at times the inspiration for the film does stand out, Storm is a smart and fast paced film that is like a square peg trying to fit into a circular hole. It has elements that would appeal to mainstream sci-fi fans but has enough twists and quirks to satisfy hard core fans of the genre as well.

Order Storm here!