Intro
French Sci-fi Thriller Oxygen (Oxygène), directed by Alexandre Aja, premiered in 2021. Aja is known for the use of setting in his films, which are often physically claustrophobic spaces such as in High Tension or Crawl. Oxygen follows Aja’s more epic films in setting, capturing a futuristic cryogenic pod—the entire film takes place in it. A futuristic cryogenic pod serves as both the setting and the main plot vehicle and the film captures a very personal story dealing with identity, memories, and the fight for survival. The film is headlined by Mélanie Laurent who provides a gripping performance as a single character that jostles the audience through a dizzying ordeal.
The film’s powerful concepts stem from its minimalist setting, sharp pacing, and layered narratives.
Plot Summary
In the film’s opening scenes, a woman’s face is visible in a pod with a familiar yet strange expression. As the camera pulls back, a medical cryo-chamber comes into view. The woman is completely disoriented, not able to remember her name or the circumstances that landed her in that futuristic chamber. She is greeted by an AI named MILO (Medical Interface Liaison Officer) whose first statement is that the oxygen reserves in the pod are critically low and there is no time to lose. The cycle of breath will expire shortly, with only 35% of oxygen remaining and diminishing further.
While she begins communicating with MILO using the pod’s communication tools, she starts assembling pieces of her identity. The fragments tell her that she is Elizabeth Hansen, a biotech scientist. Yet, every fragment discovered seems to raise more questions than the last one. Attempts to contact emergency services are futile due to lack of information, refusal to unlock key systems, and nonsensical external interactions. A mixed bag of situational helpers surfaces alongside dubious characters with ulterior motives.
Alarmingly, Elizabeth begins romantic flashbacks with a man named Léo alongside lab settings and medical trials. The dichotomy of what snippets of her former life conflict with what she remembers creates overwhelming tension.
The core mystery eventually unfolds: Elizabeth is located off Earth’s face. Her current circumstances depict a colonization mission off deep-space, an un-piloted ship without human navigation. From this perspective, Elizabeth does not appear to be the original Hansen. The woman we are familiar with is a clone, along with hundreds set afloat during society’s disintegration in an effort to safeguard humanity’s future. Hansen had a mapped consciousness to be duplicated in these clones. Constructed memories like hers are embedded to form coherent frameworks in the contrived reality.
With the oxygen running low on her pod, the Colonist’s chances of survival further dwindle with every passing second. There comes a point where the Colonist needs to make a choice – come to terms with her reality and accept the mission to save humanity, or disable the technique mechanisms on the pod and perish once she completes the mission.
Evaluation of Oxygen and Laurent
Most of Oxygen’s burden rests solely on Laurent’s shoulders. And boy does she deliver. Watching Laurent step into the shoes of a woman who gains consciousness in a tiny room and is informed devoid of any background knowledge is spine chilling. Her range of the aforementioned is only outdone by garnering sadness as well.
Laurent climbs in her performance as the narrative shifts – she shifts from a panic-stricken survivor to a perplexed amnesiac and finally to an astute empowered woman making choices. Each emotion that Laurent expresses, sometimes while all by herself on screen, stirs something in the viewers. Even her portrayal of a character suppressing emerging claustrophobia, discomfort, and unrivaled desperation is commendable.
Themes and Symbolism
- Identity and Memory
The most important theme in Oxygen is memory in relation to identity. The main character faces the challenge of deciding if her memories are “real” or implanted, and if that distinction even makes a difference. Why does it matter that she is a clone? The film attempts to analyze how memory shapes identity, and whether an identity constructed through modern technologies is still a valid identity when compared to a biological birth.
- Isolation and Survival
The entire story is set in a capsule, which reflects the intense psychological strain associated with extreme isolation. The film addresses very primal phobias- being trapped or buried alive, the absence of control, and lack of human contact. Elizabeth’s struggle to survive is multi-dimensional; it is physical as well as existential, just as most human beings’ attempts to survive in the face of an uncaring universe.
- The Ethics of Cloning
In proposing concepts such as cognitive transfer and cloning for colonial purposes, Oxygen considers issues of autonomy, consent, and the ethics of creating life for pragmatic reasons. If her purpose was determined in advance, is the clone actually free? What charge do creators have for these lives formed within the world that has been crafted?
- Technological Dependency
The MILOs’ strict, rational programming serves as both a crutch and a hindrance. The film takes aim at society’s over-reliance on artificial intelligence and poses the question of whether a given program could ever account for the complexities of life and emotion.
Cinematography and Direction
The film’s setting is confined within the walls of a singular pod, yet its visual composition is anything but stagnant or monotonous. From harsh overhead lights to strategically placed object shadows, Maxime Alexandre, the cinematographer, employs extreme close-ups and rotating camera angles to capture Elizabeth’s mental state. The camera movements mirror her dynamic mindset; giving frantic shots when she faces panic then calming when faced with acceptance.
Alexandre Aja, the director, revels in control as he builds tension. Every minute counts, or in this case, every second feels to be for the character Elizabeth. His pacing is tight; an equilibrium that balances dread and suspense. The unfolding of information parallels the character’s mental clarity, providing a satisfying cadence to the story.
The film builds tension with the sound design through sharp mechanical sounds, low hums, and the rhythmic beeping of oxygen warning alarms. These sound add to the viewer’s experience and perception of being trapped.
Reception and Legacy
Oxygen was widely praised for being an original movie filled with tension and outstanding performance by Laurent. Audience and critics regarded the movie as a “return to form” for director Alexandre Aja, commending his talent in constructing psychological horror and tension through minimalistic elements. Though classifying it strictly as science fiction, the film dabbles more into psychological and existential thriller territory.
The film was resonant for many during a global pandemic due to the themes of disconnection, fear of suffocation, and isolation. It was also praised for the balance between speculative science fiction and character-driven storytelling.
Conclusion
Oxygen is a prime example of the ease with which science fiction can be executed without the presence of extravagant worlds or heavy CGI. The film facilitates a captivating and emotional journey that reflects on what it means to be human, memory, and survival using only one actress, a single set, and a ticking clock.
Oxygen is an emotionally powerful film that is tense, intelligent, and thought provoking, all due to the meticulous direction of Alexandre Aja, the remarkable performance by Mélanie Laurent, and the primal as well as cerebral themes infused in the Oxygen story. It’s suffocating in the best way possible; a title that confines you with the main character until the very last, desperate second.
Watch free movies on Fmovies