Directed by Adam Ciancio
Written by Adam Ciancio
Australia, 2013
Writer and director Adam Ciancio’s Vessel aims to create a dialogue and original discourse between humans and extraterrestrials, a concept explored in many forms and in many films throughout the years, but quite possibly never as hopelessly uninventive as portrayed here. While its conceptual conceits and low budget charm set out to be a welcome addition to this particular sci-fi sub-genre, Vessel never fully articulates its feelings and emotions on the otherwordly and its seemingly life altering affect on the human condition. The film’s creative outlets are specifically whittled down to minimalist degrees in an attempt to bring into focus the film’s human element, one which fails at grasping at any interesting or reflective emotional perspective.
Throughout the course of a day we follow Ash (Mark Diaco), a relatively young and gifted Alien “interfacer” who has the rare ability to converse with extraterrestrials. Ash receives and collects messages from ET’s and then relays the information to government agents. On this day, a significant piece of information is on its way, something that could change the course of the world forever. This weighty task isn’t as great as it sounds, as Ash also has to deal with a troubling set of side effects associated with his “gift.” The film’s primary and pedestrian conflict stems from the protagonist’s complicated feud of dealing with his abilities: can Ash save both himself and mankind? Does this film make it so that we care? Never once.
As intriguing as all of this sounds, it’s seemingly all for not as the screenplay from Ciancio is hampered by its thinly realized characterizations and intrigues. The character of Ash more resembles a strung out catalog model than an alienated and conflicted conduit between aliens and humans. He broods around the barren and empty streets of Melbourne wearing a flannel hat and a handsomely slight beard, fingerless gloves and a nicely fitted jacket. In between random blackouts and visions, Ash floats around meeting with different people: old friends, past lovers, agents, and others who share his gift. These interactions are never wholly inviting as a means to understanding Ash or his plight. We gather that he suffers from some sort of mental illness or addiction, but these bits of character building are only further products of the film’s frail makeup and identity. At its core, this is the sort of small scale portrait of existentialism that features gaping holes in its form and execution. There are no revelations and that’s fine, but the film drones on, caught up in the same mood of solemn aimlessness that it does not come close to earning.
Ash has “given his life to the stars,” wishes to find his place in the universe and has lost his sense of taste (an unintentionally hilarious character trait), but his futile quest for answers only adds up to an empty bout of stock trauma that never finds its proper footing. As we process and try to come to terms with Ciancio’s “less is more” approach to the narrative, we’re left feeling slighted in almost every facet. Ash’s reoccurring childhood flashbacks and visions of jumbled equations and symbols are as bland and ridiculous as one might imagine. As Vessel seemingly builds to its conclusion, any rewarding commentary or acute perceptiveness is traded in for yet another unrewarding vessel of disappointment.
— Ty Landis
The Fantasia Film Festival celebrates 15 years and runs from July 18th to August 7th, 2013. For a complete schedule of films, screening times, and ticket information, please visit the official website for the Fantasia Film Festival.