Chattanooga Film Festival Coverage
The Fix review.
An ambitious Sci-Fi/body horror/fairy tale that doesn’t waste a moment of time.
Festival reviews will not contain spoilers.
The Fix
Directed by Kelsey Egan
Written by Kelsey Egan
Starring Grace Van Dien, Daniel Sharman, Keenan Arrison, Robyn Rossouw, Nicole Fortuin, Aidan Scott and Chris Fisher
The Fix Review
Strong production values and an interesting sci-fi/fairy tale/body horror premise make The Fix something you’re going to want to take a hit of. Full of energy and ideas. The elevated pacing, however, may be a bit too fast for everything to land as intended. A commitment to world building and a surprisingly sprawling narrative will keep you invested either way.
The Fix present a near future where the air is full of deadly toxins. Masks are necessary for survival. Unless, of course, you can afford the miracle drug AIRemedy. A corporation in charge of the cure? What could go wrong! For model Ella (Grace Van Dien) the answer turns out to be…a whole lot.
Ella’s boyfriend has gotten his hands on an experimental drug. When Ella walks in her best friend Gina (Robyn Roussow) together with her boyfriend…she decides to take the drug herself. Not “take” as in steal…” take” as in use. The corporation (Aethera) has tracked their sample to the party Ella is at…unaware that she has already ingested every last drop of it. The effects are immediate. It’s clear that this isn’t your ordinary high when Ella exhibits superhero strength and agility. Her (now ex) boyfriend rats her out to Aehera in an attempt to save his own skin. Ella doesn’t have long to be mad at him about it. Armed security arrives to retrieve their drug…even if it now resides inside of a human being.
Ella ends up on the run…unable to trust anyone. That would be bad enough if it wasn’t for the transformation the drug was forcing on her body. A retractable bone pops out of her elbow when she needs to defend herself. Tarsal claws grow on the palms of her hands allowing her to climb walls and stick to the ceiling. Oh…she can also spit acid now. While The Fix is not quite The Fly when it comes to the body horror transformation of human to something else…it is cut from a similar cloth. Stories that can be read as dark superhero stories. You know, if being bitten by a radioactive spider turned you into more of a radioactive spider than a sardonic teenager who can spin a web any size
What’s most surprising about The Fix is how deep it weaves its narrative. It takes big swings in visual style and overlays them on a story of a larger scale than you’d expect. The origins of the experimental drug create an entire subplot involving altruistic scientist Sol (Keenan Arrison). He buts heads with the young CEO of Aethera (Daniel Sharman) over the project. Sol wants a potential cure made freely available for everyone. Unfortunately, there’s no profit in that.
Ella’s transformation is proof that the serum works. It rewrites DNA to adapt the body to its environment. She just happened to take far too much of it. The very thing turning her into a monster is what might save humanity. There is profit in hunting her down. Her newly created immunity to the toxin makes her the most valuable asset in the world. The superpower side effects make nabbing and containing her a far more difficult task.
The Fix is a gorgeous movie. It is full of future technology swings that feel lived in. Actors do a great job making things that aren’t commonplace in modern society look like old hat in this one. That’s not always an easy thing to do. Director Kelsay Egan crafts a credible version of a dystopian future full of sci-fi aesthetics.
As mentioned, the pacing of The Fix is so swift that it can border on head spinning. On one hand, things aren’t given enough time to breathe. On the other…there is a unique charm to the energy it creates. The overall plot boils down to something familiar…but the script explores enough avenues around it to make it feel fresh. The one notable misstep involves a part of Ella’s character arc. As a model…she believes her looks are key to her appeal and value as a person. When her mutations begin, she is devastated at the perceived loss of her beauty. The problem is that mutated Ella looks like a total badass.
The one area I would have liked to see The Fix further examine is the complexity between Ella’s role as a potential savior and the cost of extracting her mutation. Aethera intends to do it without her cooperation. A procedure she may not survive. It’s a fine setup for Ella using her powers to escape. It ignores the question of whether Ella should be willing to go through with it. The risk is high…but the reward is all human life. The Fix isn’t telling a morality tale, however. It’s an origin story for a new species. One that looks great and is interested enough to turn over most of the stones it can find.
Scare Value
The scope of The Fix would sink most independent productions. Writer/director Kelsey Egan manages to get her impressively bold vision onto the screen unencumbered. With a surprisingly deep narrative, a gorgeous aesthetic, and a find cast…The Fix is a quality science fiction/body horror/fairy tale film. The lightning quick pacing can leave you in a bit of a blur…but it infuses the movie with a palpable energy you can’t look away from.
