by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What is Steven Soderbergh up to with his latest thriller, Kimi? Over the years, Soderbergh has become known for his auteur approach to filmmaking, as he takes on new ways to create films and tell stories. Filming on iPhones, using fish-eye lenses, going almost without structured dialogue, and so much more. Now it is an event over on HBO Max to see exactly what he is up to. With this new thriller, Soderbergh takes on abstract and bold camera work, a pandemic, and minimal settings.
What is Soderbergh able to accomplish just on his own? Soderbergh has a reputation now for being a renaissance man when it comes to filmmaking. Directing… editing… photographing… he does them all! This allows him to keep control of his specific aesthetic. He is certainly one of the coolest directors of all time, and he continues that with Kimi. The music is electronic and slick, and the visuals are sleek and clean. But when the paranoia and tension surrounding our protagonist, Angela, begin to mount, the camera does some interesting things. The distortion in movement makes for an engrossing and disorienting experience for the audience. This puts us in the head of Angela, an agoraphobic young tech expert. As she listens in to endless recorded data from the Alexa-esque KIMI, the sound cuts out and back in with the use of headphones. This film is an endless barrage of sensory manipulations. Few directors could make that work.
But what about the story that goes along with all these technical achievements? David Koepp, the screenwriter for Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, and Mission: Impossible, can craft a tense and engrossing thriller that balances perspectives on technology, voyeurism, and mental health that sees its protagonist try to solve a crime, as well as fall in love. There is a lot going on, and the story does get muddled when it comes to all the auto recordings and the crime that is caught on it. But Koepp and Soderbergh know how to keep the tension mounting. Koepp allows for enough time to thread in some paranoia, including a man across the way who is always watching. The script serves up an exciting and satisfying climax that Soderbergh can knock right out of the park.
Soderbergh tries hard… but who is the real start of Kimi? Zoë Kravitz. She is charismatic, magnetic, reluctant, insecure, and strong all in the same film. Angela expresses plenty of fear, as she is reluctant to leave her home, which Kravitz can convey so well with her facial expressions. As Angela’s confidence rises (especially in the film’s final moments), she brings a swagger to her presence and walks, which Soderbergh eats up with the final shots. Seeing Angela go from terrified to successfully talking about professionals is only so believable due to the committed and inspired performance by Kravitz.
Are you ready for another big dose of cool to come your way from Soderbergh and HBO Max? Then don’t wait any more time reading about Kimi; go experience it for yourself. This is a top-notch thriller full of technical prowess and expert design. But don’t sell the rest short, because Kravitz is a shining star on screen for this one.
Grade: B+
You can follow Shane Conto on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd