tech
Sheep in the Box review
There’s nothing wrong with film-makers leaving their comfort zone but the Japanese director’s latest effort just doesn’t work
TL;DR
- The film is a futurist fable about AI-humanoid robot children and parental grief.
- Parents receive a robot replica of their deceased son from a company called REbirth.
- The parents' reaction to the robot replica is described as bizarrely matter-of-fact.
- The film attempts to blend sci-fi dystopia with themes of parental grief, but the modes undermine each other.
- The film introduces a subplot of feral robot children planning a revolt, which is left undeveloped.
- The reviewer considers the film misconceived and unsuited to Kore-eda's quietist style.