FilmSnobReviews

Title: Anon
MPAA Rating: TV-MA
Director: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Clive Owen, Amanda Seyfried, Jeffrey Men
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins

What It Is: In the near future no one is anonymous and everyone’s life story can be seen at the push of a button…if you have the right clearance. This has made crime disappear. When a series of murders become a pattern detective Sal Frieland (Owen) tries to solve them using this same technology that’s led to a lack of anonymity. When he’s unable to solve it by these means he’ll go undercover. When all signs lead to a mysterious hacker known simply as “The Girl” (Seyfried), but did she do it? And why is she so mysterious?

What We Think: I really disliked this film. Not only was it really not a great but often times the structure led to confusion. Narratively it was straight up utter nonsense. Clive Owen is decent but that doesn’t make up for the style over substance direction of Niccol. This sort of thing is right in his wheelhouse. This is a man who directed sci-fi classics like Gattaca, he knows what he’s doing. That’s why this is so inexcusable. I really don’t enjoy films that bore. This is precisely that…a bore. Essentially it’s a beautiful girl with no personality. Like “The GIrl” in this film.

Our Grade: D, Netflix is at it again. Making terrible films. Where films like 6 Balloons and Happy Anniversary are good this, as I’ve stated multiple times isn’t the norm. I do wonder why they continue to make these films that are just…awful. I do wish that this film were overall better. There’s a much better-told story to be mined here. Overall I don’t recommend this one and I mean there’s plenty of good stuff on Netflix that they DIDN’T make that’s really good. Maybe go there instead.