Infinite
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Sophie Cookson
Rated M
Infinite is a flat, unimaginative sci-fi action movie that clearly copied a better movie’s homework.
Evan (Mark Wahlberg), a troubled man with certain innate talents, joins a society of reincarnated individuals who can recall their past lives, and must regain his own memories to avert the end of the world.
Wahlberg is serviceable but unmemorable, delivering yet another wisecracking tough guy performance. The dialogue is contrived and drowning in dry spoken exposition. Evan’s vague quest to regain his memories is visually confusing, and builds to a very silly twist.
Infinite is extremely derivative of The Matrix, down to character archetypes and plot beats, with Bathurst’s (a charismatic but underwritten Chiwetel Ejiofor) desire to break the cycle of reincarnation feeling a little too similar to Agent Smith’s desire to leave the Matrix.
Unlike The Matrix, Infinite’s action is unsatisfying. There are only two decent but all-too-short fight scenes, and most of the action sequences lack a clear sense of direction and somehow look perilous but feel easy.
The film’s own ideas sabotage its suspense: if the main characters can reincarnate, and the villains’ Dethroner weapon disables reincarnation but stores its victims’ souls on a chip, then no-one is really in any tangible danger. Moreover, recontextualising schizophrenia as a superpower feels patronising toward real people with schizophrenia.
Poorly-written and generic, Infinite holds finite – and very limited – appeal, and is available on iTunes.
– Seth Lukas Hynes
