by Henry Pham
Klara and the Sun takes place in a dystopian future where technological advances in genetic engineering have divided humans into strict, isolated social classes. It focuses on the titular character, an artificial-intelligence friend who wants nothing more than to find the perfect home. It soon meets Josie, a young woman who has a fraught relationship with her mother, Chrissie. However, Klara’s innocent wonder and unwavering loyalty soon start to heal the family and bring some light to Josie’s complicated world.
Scream queen Jenna Ortega (Scream franchise, Netflix’s Wednesday) portrays Klara, an obsolete companion android, while supporting English actress Mia Tharia (BBC’s Phoenix Rise) appears as Josie, a sick girl for whom she was purchased. Ortega is understanding in her role, portraying her as a friendly (though artificial-intelligence) robot who desperately needs a friend to look after her. It’s been a while since we saw Jenna Ortega in a movie that wasn’t horror-related. Tharia, on the other hand, does a better job portraying a much-needed friend seeker while her mother is away for work. The chemistry between them is compelling, and their friendship is thoughtfully evolved.
Written and directed by Oscar winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit), the story is based on the science-fiction novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and co-written by Dahvi Waller (AMC’s Mad Men). The story is lifeless, though Michael Giacchino’s soundtrack is noteworthy. The cinematography and the beautiful landscapes are good. The direction and the screenplay are mushy, messy, and terrible, as the story relies on humor, which strips away from the source material. The reason for this is that comedy routine is Waititi’s signature specialty in filmmaking, akin to his work in the last two Thor sequels, whilst following the source material.
Additional humor also overpowers the sci-fi atmosphere, making it seem like a sci-fi comedy, rather than a dystopian sci-fi fantasy. The visual effects look choppy and unimpressive. Another big issue is the pacing, which rushes so quickly, making it seem like this film has gone by too fast while being too slow at the same time to fulfill the two-hour runtime. The other supporting actors – consisting of Amy Adams (Vice, American Hustle), Aran Murphy (HBO’s Youth), Steve Buscemi (HBO’s Boardwalk Empire), and Natasha Lyonne (Netflix’s Russian Doll, Peacock’s Poker Face) – are decent, though reluctant to star in the film. And the ending is also a lackluster, unemotional, and unnecessary.
I haven’t read the book, but I know people enjoyed this experience rather than the film adaptation itself. If you haven’t read the book, please do so before you watch this. Taika Waititi brings no life and heart to this android sci-fi fantasy in Klara and the Sun. It was a chaotic mess, and it was a guilty pleasure. But at least, we finally see a a non-horror Jenna Ortega movie. Everyone, including myself, like Ortega as well as Waititi as the latter is an incredible director. But I think Waititi should go back to making superhero movies rather than this. While his direction on other features works, his comedic roots across different genres have slowed down, resulting in his recent films receiving negative reviews from critics. I’m sorry to say this, but Waititi fails to capture a quietly, colorful emotional dystopian story.
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