Director: Jodie Foster
Writer: Charlie Brooker (Screenplay)
Starring: Rosemarie DeWitt, Brenna Harding, Owen Teague
Plot: After nearly losing her daughter, a mother invests in a new technology that allows her to keep track of her.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Beautifully Disturbing
Story: Arkangel starts when Marie (DeWitt) could go through her own living nightmare, when her daughter Sara goes missing, luckily, she is found safe and sound. Being a worried parent, Marie takes a chance to join up to a program for a chip to be installed in Sara’s head which lets her see what Sara is feeling, it also means she can filter anything inappropriate from her life.
When Sara doesn’t seem to be able to reach to natural minor violence or scares, Marie switches off the device which brings their relationship closer, until she reaches the high school age and the worries of a parent return to the device.
Thoughts on Arkangel
Story – The story here plans into the idea of a parent always worrying about the safety of their child, it could be increased after a moment that could have seen her child lost. The side effects are clear and with a system that could easily turn every parent into an obsessive, while the kid could be an innocent victim of being over protected. With the technology we have affordable to us now, this could easily become a reality as parents feel the need to protect against the evil of the world, but this could also take away important learning curves needed in the growing up process.
Scene of the Episode – The night that changes everything.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Seriously, do all kids just do drugs?
Final Thoughts – When it comes to Black Mirror, you know we have warnings in the shows, this plays into the warnings side of the message about technology and the side effects it could have if we let it control our lives. I can’t help but say I loved the tone in this episode, it needed to be set to this style, so we could enjoy moments that unfold in a way where Sara wouldn’t know what was going on. This is a must watch for anyone who can enjoy a thriller that sends a message.
Overall: Tense and beautifully disturbing is the best way to describe this one.
Rating
