A 2016 American-Canadian science fiction action film directed by Tony Elliott
The 2016 film ARQ, released exclusively on Netflix, takes place in a dystopian near-future where the world is ruled by a group known as “Torus Corporation” who are at war with a resistance group known as “The Bloc”. The film focuses on a former Torus engineer who has created a perpetual motion machine capable of creating limitless energy and his lover who have their home invaded by a small group of rebels looking to rob him, seemingly unaware of the potential of the machine which runs in the background throughout. The plot takes a turn when the protagonist meets a bloody death, only to wake again at the start of the film, revealing that they are all trapped in a time loop, sparking a desperate search for answers, that reveals the true nature of both the machine and the invaders.
This film can be best described as a fast-paced action thriller and it manages to deliver well on all of these points. The action manages to keep you glued to your seat as each turn takes the film in a different direction so you genuinely never know what is going to happen next. This is quite a feat for a film which at its core is basically a constant re-run of the same events. At the same time, the plot drip feeds you just enough information as you go to give you more and more of an idea of what is going on without ever fully revealing the whole picture until the end. This keeps you guessing and involved in the plot the whole way through.
ARQ is a thoroughly entertaining film with a unique set of circumstances which despite this manages to draw you into the engaging plot by always seeming believable and realistic. ARQ is a very enjoyable movie for anyone that enjoys their action movies with a little more intrigue about them.
| Starring: | Robbie Amell and Rachel Taylor |
|---|---|
| Stars: | 4/5 |
| Available on: | Netflix |
