Restore Point – Toronto After Dark 2023
October 18 to October 22, 2023
FILM FESTIVAL
Toronto After Dark
Toronto After Dark 2023
This review was originally published as part of my coverage of the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival
In a world without death, a detective tries to solve a murder committed by a terrorist group in Restore Point. In 1948 Prague, the population is able to be restored from death by digital back-ups stored by the Institute of Restoration run by Rohan (Karel Dobrý). Emma Trochinowska (Andrea Mohylová) is a detective investigating the murder David Kurlstat (Matej Hádek), the scientist responsible for creating the restoration technology. David is restored using an old back-up, losing six months worth of memories, and together they track down the pro-death extremist group The River of Life before a virus they unleashed destroy all of the institute’s back-ups.
Restore Point Synopsis
Restore Point is a film directed by Robert Hloz and is the first science fiction film to come out of the Czech Republic in four decades. The film takes place in a futuristic Prague, where a rise in violent deaths has resulted in the constitutional right to a full life. Everyone who dies an unnatural death are now able to be restored, granting that they keep creating a restore point of themselves every 48 hours. However, the extremist group The River of Life argues that the system is using restore points to scare you with death and it is up to Emma Trochinowska to find and stop them.
My Thoughts on Restore Point
Restore Point is film quite reminiscent of the Phillip K. Dick stories that inspired films like Blade Runner and Minority Report. The film is a neo-noir story that exposes the dark secrets of a supposedly utopian technology. The film also has the very interesting twist of being a murder investigation with the detective being assisted by the victim himself, albeit suffering from six months worth of lost memories. While the ultimate outcome is somewhat predictable for those who know the genre, Restore Point is still a solid sci-if thriller.
Trailer for Restore Point – Toronto After Dark 2023
