A Cosmic Battle That Refuses to Play It Straight

Read Time:5 Minute, 11 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Empire (L'empire)
–

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Parody
Year Released: 2024, 2025
Runtime: 1h 50m
Director(s): Bruno Dumont
Writer(s): Bruno Dumont
Cast: Lyna Khoudri, Anamaria Vartolomei, Camille Cottin, Fabrice Luchini, Brandon Vlieghe, Julien Manier, Bernard Pruvost, Philippe Jore, Annie Tardivon, Marie Vasez, Cédric Fortin
Where To Watch: in select theaters March 7, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: Some films tell stories, some challenge storytelling, and others leave you wondering if the story was ever the point. This one falls squarely in the latter category. A sci-fi epic wrapped in absurdist humor, set against the unassuming backdrop of a fishing village, it’s a film that never quite settles on what it wants to be. The result? It is a visually intriguing yet conceptually uneven experiment that blends high-concept storytelling with satire in a way that doesn’t always hit its mark. For every moment of crazy ambition, there’s another that leaves you questioning if it’s an intentional parody or just a case of ideas slipping through the cracks.

At the heart of this intergalactic standoff is Jony, a fisherman thrust into a cosmic war where a newborn child holds the key to universal balance. With one faction looking to control the child’s fate for dominance and another fighting for righteousness, the battle turns unexpectedly when these celestial forces bring their war to an unsuspecting coastal town. If that sounds like a bold, genre-defying premise, that’s because it is. But while the setup is loaded with potential, the execution leans harder into satire than spectacle, often pulling the rug out from under itself.

The film doesn’t shy away from grandeur. The cinematography captures the eerie stillness of the fishing village, contrasting the vast openness of the landscape with the cosmic scale of the conflict unfolding within it. The architecture of the opposing forces' spacecraft further underlines the film’s deeper themes, designed to resemble grand religious institutions and seats of power—pointing to the eternal struggle between control and faith. While this conceptually adds to the film’s layered storytelling, the effects work doesn’t always hold up. At times, the ambitious scale clashes with a rough, unfinished quality that makes it hard to tell if it’s an intentional stylistic choice or a technical shortcoming. The film’s aesthetic swings between awe-inspiring and oddly amateurish, leaving it awkwardly between arthouse and blockbuster.

This tonal inconsistency extends to the humor, which plays with self-awareness but often at the expense of engagement. Some scenes revel in genre deconstruction, poking fun at sci-fi conventions in a way that feels fresh and playful. Others drag the satire too far, making investing in real stakes hard. The film’s approach to comedy sometimes helps to enhance its commentary. Still, other times, it undercuts its own story, making it feel like an extended inside joke that not everyone is in on. The performances mirror this inconsistency—some actors bring a raw, natural presence to their roles, while others lean into exaggerated, almost farcical delivery.

One aspect that stands out—though not necessarily in a good way—is the film’s handling of gender dynamics. The female characters are given important roles in the narrative, but their development feels stifled by outdated writing choices. Instead of challenging these ideas, the film plays into them without much commentary, making it one of the weaker elements in a movie that otherwise enjoys subverting expectations.

The story is less of a linear journey and more of a scattered meditation on power, fate, and morality. Ambiguity can be a compelling storytelling tool, but here, it feels less like a deliberate choice and more like a film that loses track of its ideas. Themes are introduced but never explored, and by the time the final act rolls around, resolution seems to be the least of the film’s concerns. In some cases, leaving questions unanswered can be thought-provoking. Here, it feels like the film simply ran out of interest in answering them.

That’s not to say the film is without merit. It commits to its vision, even when it isn’t always clear. The best moments come when it strikes the right balance between absurdity and sincerity, creating scenes that feel like a fresh take on the sci-fi genre. There are flashes of brilliance where it toys with audience expectations, using humor and spectacle to challenge traditional storytelling. Unfortunately, those moments are scattered, and the film struggles to maintain a consistent rhythm.

The result is a film that feels stuck between two identities—an experimental sci-fi epic and a satire of the idea of an experimental sci-fi epic. That contradiction is both its most fascinating aspect and its biggest weakness. Some will find its unpredictability refreshing, while others will feel disconnected from its lack of cohesion. It’s an ambitious project, but ambition alone doesn’t always make for a satisfying experience.

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[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER]

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