Mindhack
Can you hack into the human mind to create better humans? What happens when biology, technology and the human mind collide? Is biohacking a tool for brilliance— or disaster?
Mindhack touches on all these topics, following biohacker Mason (Chris Mason)—who goes by the online pseudonym, Mr. Vixx, with a fox mask in tow— in his quest to hack into the human mind. Hunted down, he must battle those who plan to eradicate humankind. What ensues is a gripping adventure offering us a glance of where technology and biology may be headed. The end point is a place where lines between the two are blurred.
A Day in The Life of a Biohacker
We meet Mason, an avid and experienced biohacker with a large following on the Internet and many who know of his work.
In one of the movie’s first scenes, we see that he has no qualms about biohacking himself. We see Mason waking up from his night out having broken into and destroying equipment from an R&D facility. Casually going about his morning, he tends to his online persona, talking to his followers through what seems to be a live stream video. Arguing with an unseen voice, he debates on what to do, going against the wishes of this voice. Telling the voice to relax, he puts the wires up to his head, sending shockwaves into his brain, then screaming and shouting, “FUCK!” Not even taking a moment to pause, Mason is back on his feet angry that nothing happened.
We are shocked; we are jarred. We feel just how crazy and dangerous these attempts by individuals to gain control over their bodies AND technologies are.
All of this experimenting has taken a toll on Mason. Scenes jet back and forth throughout the movie. Then, a figment of Mason’s imagination appears in the form of a human being named Finn (Scott Mechlowicz). What ensues is a fast paced adventure leaving the viewer to question “What is real and what isn’t?”
Creating By Destruction
On one level Mindhack is about one man’s quest to save humanity from itself. Mason perfectly explains this in a scene when he talks to his love interest, Sawyer (Spencer Locke). In his idyllic world he wants to help people, using the philosophy of “creating by destruction”. This philosophy drives Mason's logic and his mission, and helps to explain what he does throughout the film.
The film does go by relatively fast. During some parts of the film, this reviewer found herself confused, not quite clear on what some of the characters are doing. Some of the characters we know are figments of Mason’s imagination and we are riveted trying to figure out what is really going on. Although confusing at times, it does help build suspense in this thrilling film.
Geared for Technophiles
If you, like this writer, are into action thrillers, Mindhack may be something that you will like. This movie takes its viewer on a ride into a near-future imagined world full of human experimentation, blurring the lines between biology and technology.
Mindhack seems to be geared especially to technophiles. But any of us who are not geeks may also see ourselves in Mason, a man who only wants to help humankind.
For those of us who haven’t thought about biohacking in any detail. Mindhack is a quick course on considering what biohacking can mean for us all.
Director by Royce Gorsuch.
Starring: Chris Mason, Scott Mechlowicz, Spencer Locke, Faran Tahir, Brandon Scott.
USA 2017. 106 mins.
When
Friday, August 25 and Sunday, August 27, 2017
Photos
Photos courtesy of MINDHACK
Where
Horror Channel Frightfest
Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7NA
Tickets
Festival Passes - £66 to £195
Single Tickets - £14.25
