PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The existence of a human soul and how this immeasurable part of the human consciousness may be defined is nothing particularly new. However, in his debut feature film Anti Matter, Keir Burrows offers a unique and thought provoking spin on this concept. Featuring a dark psychological undertone of horror, this sci-fi noir film asks what happens if we lose this part of ourselves. If we can’t trust our own minds, do we risk falling into a pit of insanity and despair?
On the verge of a scientific breakthrough that could change the world, Oxford PhD students Ana (Yaiza Figueroa), Liv (Philippa Carson) and Nate (Tom Barber-Duffy) begin experimenting teleporting objects from one location to another through a wormhole. After several successful trials, the trio furthers their experiments with live animal test subjects. However, when the University catches wind of controversial animal testing being done in one of their labs, the students rush their progress, fearful that their research will be shut down and taken away.
In a bold and risky attempt at solidifying concrete results that would transcend any controversy, the experiment is rushed to a whole new level. Serving as the first human test subject, Ana is successfully transported through the wormhole, disappearing and reappearing several feet away. Feeling as though a Nobel Prize might be within reach, the excitement stemming from this development is short lived when Ana begins to realize she is unable to create new memories. Seeking help from her friends Liv and Nate, she is met with unexpected reactions. As trust dwindles and frighteningly bizarre events unfold, Ana sets out to find answers alone at the risk of losing her sanity.
With a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 87%, Anti Matter is reminiscent of Christopher Nolan’s award winning film Memento (2000), seasoned with elements of Shane Carruth’s critically acclaimed feature, Primer (2004), and Jacob Gentry’s Synchronicity (2015). Featuring a well-written script and outstanding plot development, Anti Matter leads you down a path of discovering how deep the rabbit hole of human consciousness can go. Backed by impressive performances by Carson, Barber-Duffy and Figueroa as well as engaging visuals hinting that “everything will change,” Anti Matter could easily be mistaken for a studio feature.
As his directorial debut for a full-length feature, Anti Matter proves that Burrows is an emerging talent with a deep thinking mind. Hopefully, we will see more work from this filmmaker in the near future. Released in the UK last July and the United States September 8th, Anti Matter can now be viewed on Amazon Instant Video.
