2021 has been a truly unpredictable time for Warner Bros., given that the COVID-19 pandemic has left a number of their films in limbo. Cinemas had begun to reopen, albeit slowly. This prompted an unprecedented move where audiences could choose to see new films like “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “In the Heights” in theaters or on HBO Max, where they were released simultaneously on the same day. Some proved to be hits in theaters, while others didn’t have enough momentum to make a lasting impact on the streaming side. Among the latter group was “Reminiscence,” an ambitious sci-fi neo-noir starring Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson that unfortunately failed at the box office. While it doesn’t reach the heights of its cinematic influences, the film is a fun throwback that puts considerable effort into realizing its premise.
In her first film, “Westworld” co-creator Lisa Joy imagines a world in which climate change has almost partially submerged cities like Miami underwater. People take boat rides to get where they need to go instead of driving a car. One of the greatest sources of pleasure is that of nostalgia, which can be obtained through a water-based memory machine called Reminiscence. The world of one of his operators, Nick Bannister (Jackman), is turned upside down when a beautiful nightclub singer named Mae (Ferguson) enters. The two begin a torrid romance, until Mae mysteriously disappears, prompting Nick to go down a rabbit hole that questions everything he knows.
Chris Evangelista of /Film gave “Reminiscence” a mixed review upon its release. In the years since, however, its pulpy approach seems welcome coming from the studio system that regularly made films like this.
Reminiscence succeeds in mixing sci-fi thrillers and neo-noir pulp
“Reminiscence” isn’t anything revolutionary, but Joy’s vision of a ruined world whose future lies in the addictive nature of nostalgia is a breath of fresh air. It’s an adorably silly mash-up of elements from “Blade Runner,” “Chinatown” and “Vertigo.” Although that’s what makes it kind of fun. The dystopian fatalism of “Reminiscence” is reflected not only in Bannister’s search for answers, but also in the rising tides that have reclaimed the planet. I love seeing how humanity is seizing on memories of good times to cope with an unfortunately relevant shift in climate change. Cinematographer Paul Cameron and production designer Howard Cummings make the film feel strangely beautiful and lived-in, particularly during an underwater fight scene that takes place in a completely submerged movie palace.
Jackman is also a compelling protagonist in all of this, as a former veteran of an unnamed war that caused him to become the guardian of others’ happiness, while suppressing his own. Not to mention, he imbues the film with a narrative that reflects the cadence of a ’40s noir detective. It’s impossible to completely dismiss “Reminiscence” when Joy’s script is loaded with pulpy internal monologues like “if there are ghosts to be found, it’s us who haunt the past” and “memory is the boat that sails against the tide, and I am the oarsman.” It’s like catnip to me. You know what kind of movie you’re getting into when Ferguson enters the film as this glossy enigma in red lipstick that Jackman can’t help but be mesmerized by. For these reasons alone, it would be great to see it get a second life.
