Loom (2012) User Reviews

Pretty payoff.

[redshoesfall · 7/10 · 17 August 2017]

It's not great, but it is a solid short film. Does lag in the beginning, with the technical terms, but you see enough of the world (of a sophisticated design) and it's clear that this is the spawn of Ridley Scott (quite literally). I do recommend this film - not for its story, but for the more technical things it does right. Though the story isn't stupid, it's just rather short and a little slow moving, but by God, did I enjoy the climax.

There is a wee bit of nudity, mothers be aware, but the music with the visuals combine for a very pleasant experience. I do want to see more of this world. By how this film was executed, I can see it being just as attractive and sophisticated - though it needs a little work on character development and execution. Ribisvi was fine, but I found the female lead's delivery to be not as believable (namely considering the dialogue).

Give it a watch, and decide for yourself.

Not much beyond the surface

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 23 September 2013]

"Loom" is the very first short directorial work by Luke Scott, the son of Academy-Award nominated director Ridley Scott. It's a roughly 20-minute long short film that deals with matters such as science and isolation. Italian-American actor Giovanni Ribisi play the central character, while the rest of the cast are rather unknown.

It's very well done visually and I believe they succeeded in conveying the bleak atmosphere and the desperate seclusion of the lead character. The set decoration is done convincingly too and works very well with the overall ambiance. However, this film is a great example of how good ingredients in all kinds of areas cannot save a film if the story is just too weak and not compelling enough. It's definitely style over substance and when the film reaches the final monologue of the most important female character, it almost gets a tad pretentious. It's not a story that justifies a running time of 20 minutes and I'm not sure I'd be interested in watching any other films from the director. This one is only one for the biggest Ribisi fans out there.

an interesting experiment

[eljefemartin · 9/10 · 13 September 2012]

There is something disturbing about "Loom" from its very onset. Everything in the environment seems created to facilitate human life and work. Yet, much like in Brazil, nothing really seems to work. Lights are blinding rather than enlightening, Chairs are empty and always in the way. Everything is cold and robotic, even when it's bathed in warm color. I read certain influence of Japanese or Korean Movies and Manga into Loom.

It seems like Loom displays a universe where people are always either crammed together (at work) or lonely (in their free time). Being human seem to be superfluous for anything except work. And work is all about making protein to feed the society.

The main character is a technician in the meat/protein growth industry. He controls the produce quality, growth rate and maturity. The breeding chambers, where animal proteins are matured regularly fail. It's a delicate process, which requires a certain growth hormone to work effectively. Apparently that is a very valuable substance and our protagonist made his own experiments with it; I won't disclose what he's doing with it. Find it out and see for yourself!

Here is a movie from someone who read P.K.Dick and some Yukito Kishiro. Perhaps also Kobe Abe and Zizek. The director understands that Sci-Fi can be social criticism and deeply philosophical when it's not trying to be Sci-fi. The reason to make something Sci-Fi is to question what you know and create something yet unseen.

This movie could be shot in a quarantine zone or within a hospital, but it gives away it's sci-fi nature in every beat of hopelessness, in each glimpse of the antihero protagonist's eye. It connects to me across a border of void it creates. It's not concrete, yet definitive. Mixed messages from every scene. And there is a message.

Like today you have to make yourself a purpose in life, in the future (quite literally). And just like today you must fear that people, who live only by greed and desire nothing but power, will take it away from you.

This is a movie that deserves to be written to an end, but it will be a very difficult task for any writer, I'm afraid. I can recommend it.

subtle, deft, atmospheric

[heavycomputing · 9/10 · 20 July 2014]

An ephemeral commentary on the future of biotechnology and dehumanization in the technocorporacy of the future. Subtle, deft, filled with impressions instead of direct explanations or reveals, bears repeated views to absorb its rich backdrop that constructs the scene and environment so quickly as required in such a short film.

Reminiscent of the atmospherics of Gus Van Sant's 'Gerry', do not look for a plot or an action packed vignette - rather, sit back and absorb the inherent poetry soaked in the bittersweet story of creation, love, loss and the cycle of life. A parable of hubris of the most immoral proportions employed to grasp an opportunity to re-humanize through the ultimate creation.

A brilliantly concise and masterfully restrained piece of multi-layered film making.