Written and directed by James Croke, when Hana, a professional gamer who suffers from acute agoraphobia, receives new equipment that enhances her game, she begins to wonder if it is reading her mind – or controlling it. Starring: Sasha Luss, Alexis Ren, Ava Caryofyllis and Robert Coleby.
If there’s one thing that’s always going to be helpful when walking into a film like this, it’s having the right expectations. Latency is the type of film created as a piece of light entertainment, it’s not about reinventing genre or style, or making some form of statement, it’s meant to entertain, and it achieves that. Yes, a lot of the choices James Croke makes are familiar, but it’s how Croke uses them that are the key here. The first being that he sets out a great atmosphere of isolation and obsession to kick things off.
Choosing the gamer persona is perfect for this story, it melds right into the ideas of fixation and determination, even to the point of self-injury. As well as that highly competitive edge, which nicely sets off Hana (Sasha Luss) down this dangerous path. The foundation works, it holds your attention well, it may not be on the edge of your seat, it’s a little more low-key but consistent. It does have its weaknesses, choosing to bring through a supernatural element, mixed in with the AI theme, which doesn’t always feel very strong.
However, running beneath that is the idea of past traumas being used within manipulating images in the mind, so it’s a shame that doesn’t take the lead. Visually, it ticks the right boxes, the effects work is decent and it all flows nicely, keeping itself to under ninety-five minutes. Another element that works well is the friendship between Hana and Jen (Alexis Ren), it feels genuine and very of the moment.
The performances are another solid aspect, Sasha Luss does a surprisingly good job at creating a layered persona for Hana. She taps into her vulnerability and suffering but also into her intelligence and motivation, making her the prime target for this story. Alexis Ren brings a bubbly, supportive personality to the table, a guiding hand for Hana, that she’s so sorely in need of. The two of them have a good connection and chemistry, which can very often not be the case with this type of film.
Latency is all about going in with an open mind and it is what you make of it, if you’re looking for a light piece of horror-thriller to keep you entertained on a lazy evening, then it will do the trick. If you’re expecting it to be mind-blowing and wholly unpredictable, then you’re likely going to be disappointed. Horror fans will probably appreciate it more than others, and while it does have its weaknesses, it’s well paced, decently shot and keeps itself contained enough not to bite off more than it can chew.
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