In the aftermath of unprecedented change, it’s anyone’s guess where the planet will be by the conclusion of the 2020s. As the globe shifts into the second year of the oncoming decade, questions regarding the future of the species have arisen, specifically concerning the ever-increasing relationship between humanity and technology. Is civilization becoming overly reliant on automation? What role does morality play in supplanting traditionally human roles with equally effective technology? Should morality be included in the conversation whatsoever?
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By fusing such questions with remarkable cinematography and ethereal pacing, Natalia Almada’s documentary “Users” will assuredly snatch the attention of viewers searching for a gentle, yet visually engaging piece of science non-fiction. Coalescing a motherly meditation on parenting with a laidback exploration of the impending evolution of the planet, the film manages to infuse a distinctly emotive sensation to its disconnected, inorganic subject matter.
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Almada transports viewers from the living rooms of suburbia into a variety of world-trotting locales—which include the depths of the ocean, flaming forests and expansive indoor vertical farms—a journey that never releases its grasp on your eye, courtesy of Bennett Cerf’s camerawork. Matched with Dave Cerf’s immersive sound design, “Users” approaches discussion by way of absorption; the sweeping portraits the film paints feel near tactile, and the intimacy on display, due to a consistent use of close-ups and overall temperate color palate, exudes a sympathetic, non-aggressive approach to a rumination that could easily be overwhelmed by cynicism or pretension. By posing the ominous question “What will our home look like to the next generation?”, the goal of “Users” is—admirably—not to offer an answer to an unsolvable question. The documentary simply asks you to think, listen and engage with its semi-transcendental approach to narrative.
Reactions will be mixed. While some might embrace the cable-filled, fully automated and quasi-sentient prospects that “Users” presents, an aura of doom pulses beneath the documentary’s skin. Although the film never ventures to dive into the ethics or foreseeable ramifications of the globe’s current trajectory, the fragility of the scenarios that “Users” documents speak for themselves with a quietly apocalyptic whisper.
Nevertheless, Almada’s film relies too heavily on observation. Despite encompassing lofty themes—such as the transient state of existence and deterioration, on an interpersonal and worldwide scale equally—“Users” fails to offer a thought-provoking stance or serve as a substantive exploration in any regard. The combination of passivity and over-reliance on visual appeal leads to a conclusion that lacks any emotional resonance or thematic resolution, rendering the film wholly ineffective due to its inactive foundation. Visual allure aside, “Users” mistakes abstraction for substance, and its shallow approach to exploration shines too bright to ignore or excuse.
By its finale, “Users” might imprint questions for you to ponder over, but no amount of post-viewing inquiries can enhance its regrettably superficial source point. The documentary exists within the interzone of forgettability, a vacuous area occupied by films that fall short of offense and never reach greatness. “Users” is too quiet to say anything provocative, too short to waste your time and too inconsequential to recommend to anyone searching for a fresh perspective on age-old material. [C]
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