Watching director Flying Lotus’ sci-fi horror film “Ash” reminded me of the worst acid trip I ever had. A large group of friends and I had all taken it together and were doing fine initially. Eventually people peeled off the main group, telling me before they went away and leaving me to inform the rest of the people. This happened twice which is apparently the amount of times it was needed for my friends’ LSD-addled brains to decide I was murdering these folks. And they outright said as much. Suddenly I was thrust into a world where the reality of what happened was malleable thanks to drugs, but I was certain of what happened, just as my friends were steadfast in their allegations. It was a real mindfuck, just like this film.
That’s a very similar situation to Riyah (Eiza González), the protagonist of “Ash,” who wakes up with no memory in an abandoned space station cluttered with bloodied corpses. She tries to piece it all together with the help of her mission crew member Brion (Aaron Paul) as they try to figure out what happened to the others (Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah Koale, Flying Lotus) on this strange alien planet upon which they’ve landed. The entire time that Riyah is assembling the broken puzzle of her mind she is also visited by horrific visions of death and mutilation that leave her wondering exactly what her role was in all the carnage.
While assembled as a mystery, more akin to “D.O.A.” or “Memento” than the usual thriller fare, the plot of “Ash” is not all that interesting or exciting. From a script by Jonni Remmler, its various reveals aren’t very novel, either. But as I’ve often said before, it’s not necessarily the tale being told as it is how the tale is told. If you’re being cynical and reductive, there just aren’t that many plots or stories out there. But it’s in the telling that these narratives become unique and engaging. And that’s where “Ash” truly shines because director Flying Lotus has crafted a true intergalactic bad trip with lots of great visual and sound work that will guide audiences through the descent into Riya’s broken psyche.
Awash in pink and blue incandescence and frantic angles, Flying Lotus (working with DP Richard Bluck and production designer Ross McGarva) takes the stale space station that has been a commonplace movie set since the ‘70s and transforms it into a feverish psychedelic neon nightmare that truly feels otherworldly and oppressive. The sound design, makeup, and editing of “Ash” also lends to this intensity that keeps audiences on their toes and perfectly mirrors the mental imbalance at work. I’ve seen people describe “Ash” as more of a vibe than a movie, and that’s true to a certain extent, but it makes it sound more passive than it actually is. Those insert shots of weird mutilated bodies or haunting acts of violence are like unwanted intrusive thoughts crashing through the serenity of a cozy mystery, mimicking a horrible trip that is brilliant in its aesthetics but hideous in its humanity (or lack thereof).
Flying Lotus does triple duty on “Ash”—directing, acting (albeit a small part), and contributing the score, which is phenomenal. There are parts that are a bit too much like Vangelis’ greatest hits from the ‘80s, but mostly it’s a great blending of that composer along with Wendy Carlos’ dreamy synths and (when needed) some aggressive John Carpenter pulse-pounding beats. The music works perfectly with the bizarre visuals and inventive staging to make this feel both familiar and utterly new simultaneously.
Not everything works in “Ash” as it can sometimes be a bit too slow and feels like (even at 95 minutes) it runs on a bit too long. For the most part, the cast does a great job but there are some emotional moments where Flying Lotus mistook being loud for being sincere and intense. And while the story isn’t the most impressive (or important) part of “Ash,” there is a plot contrivance towards the end that is never fully explained that stuck in my craw, despite all the excellent artistic flourishes.
“Ash” is reminiscent of a lot of things — “Alien,” a bad acid trip, “Planet of the Vampires,” first-person horror games like “Dead Space” — but there is enough unique voice in the telling with a very fresh style that never makes it feel too much like a retread of overly familiar territory. Flying Lotus’ film is flawed in many ways, but it does so much so well and in such an original manner that it’s easy to forgive a lot of its cinematic trespasses. Crafting a tale in such a way that evokes pure, visceral reactions takes true talent and Flying Lotus is to be applauded for embarking on such an ambitious journey. “Ash” is the best time you’ll have having the worst time in space, grinning from ear to ear as your mind crumbles from all of the grotesque beauty on display.
4 / 5 Stars
Starring: Eiza González, Aaron Paul, Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah Koale, Flying Lotus
Director: Flying Lotus
