Directed by Serbian comic artist Aleksa Gajić, Technotise: Edit and I is an ambitious cyberpunk animation based on the comic of the same name. Set in 2074, Edit Stefanović is a failing psychology student who lives in the futuristic city of Belgrade, Serbia. Looking for a way to pass her next exam, she implants an illegal chip into her body.
Unexpectedly for Edit, the same chip manages to decipher a complex mathematical equation, which results in Edit developing a second personality. Living inside of her, this newfound AI induces severe hallucinations whilst improving her core senses and reflexes. An intriguing set up to begin with, Technotise: Edit and I kicks its story into gear when Edit becomes a fugitive, chased by a research team believing she holds the key to predicting the future.
It’s a great concept, with strong links to other films in the same genre. However, despite such great ideas, Technotise’s execution is rather dissatisfying. Instead of diving straight into the philosophical aspects that the film represents, Gajić’s film concentrates far too much on the visuals.
Blending in a mix of three different animation styles, Technotise’s experimentation ultimately fails to impress. Utilising 2D, 3D and vector animation may have seemed great on paper, but due to the low-budget of this feature it falls completely flat throughout.
Whilst some action sequences do try to look somewhat impressive, the rest of the film fails to deliver with its unique style. Characters often look stiff throughout, as the perspective in some scenes is skewed. It’s a shame, as lavish backgrounds clash with static animation. There’s just no life to these characters, which is unfortunate considering the decent concept designs.
Technotise: Edit and I has been compared to Akira and Ghost in the Shell, in terms of its ideas and animation, but that’s an insult to some of the finest animated works in cinema history. Some credit has to go the Serbian animation team for attempting a high calibre of animation, but it’s hampered by so many animation problems.
Halfway through the film, the weak spots in the script start to appear. Rife with inconsequential scenes, Technotise throws in some nudity and a jarring a sex scene in an attempt to somehow justify the film’s mature rating.
The film attempts to be wholly philosophical, but it squanders any potential with an abrupt ending that touches upon none of the themes presented earlier in the film. Edit, a one-dimensional thematic device, loses the little character development she obtained, as the complex themes crumble under its own weight.
The DVD release of Technotise: Edit and I is poorly put together, with hardcoded subtitles being unreadable in some scenes due to poor placement. Laden with spelling and grammatical errors throughout, the dialogue is a little questionable at times.
Ultimately, Technotise: Edit and I is a failed experiment. Aleksa Gajić’s film had a lot of potential, with strong links towards humanity’s relationship with technology. It’s not necessarily unwatchable, but just a disappointing entry from Serbia.
TECHNOTISE: EDIT AND I / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ALEKSA GAJIC / SCREENPLAY: SANDA KNEZEVIC, NEBOJSA GLOGOVAC, JELISAVETA SABLIC, SRDJAN TODOROVIC / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 9TH
