Personally, I love watching films that hardly anyone has ever heard of; Ink is no exception. It's be hailed as the new (albeit much less budgeted) "Matrix" film with its immersive back story and quirky and creative new plot. Then again, being creative and immersive doesn't necessarily mean good, and Ink misses a few spots where it really could've been a major success. Sure, the idea may turn off the wide majority of audiences, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be a critical or even a minor commercial success.
Ink tells the story of an important businessman named John (Christopher Kelly) whose wife passed away recently. With her, he had a daughter named Emma (Quinn Hunchar) who is primarily taken care of by her grandparents. In the reality of each of these characters, the world seems normal and inhabited by everyone they see, but this isn't the case as, when people fall asleep, otherworldly people called Storytellers traverse the world to imbue dreams upon the slumbering populace. However, in opposition to these people, there are the Incubi, a race of digitally projected faces with uniform bodies seemingly wearing butcher outfits who imbue nightmares. Between these two sides are Drifters, people who haven't chosen a side in the ongoing struggle just yet. All three of these races are composed of people who have recently died, and this is seen as the afterlife.
One night, during their routine dream-blessings, the Storytellers encounter a Drifter named Ink, dressed in raggy bandages with a hideous nose and balding hair. Ink is enticed and bewildered by Emma and decides to kidnap her. Despite several Storytellers' best efforts to stop him, he steals her and runs through an interdimensional portal, a portal not accessible to the Storytellers. Knowing they've failed, the Storytellers try to find a way to get Emma back and restore everything when they come across a blind and sarcastic man whom they discover to be a legendary Pathfinder, who has the power to travel across dimensions and set balance or chaos in the universe. The Pathfinder joins the Storytellers in their quest and so begins the rigorous adventure.
While this story may seem a bit daunting (which it is), it's actually very original and enjoyable creative in its approach. Where most audiences may split, though, lies within the actual direction and editing style of the film. The majority of the film seems to have been shot with a sort of bloom filter, giving everything (most notably bright colors and lights) a very fuzzy and loose look. Bloom effects look great when done right and in strides, but it may have been overdone in Ink. You can tell the filmmakers (the Winans Brothers) were trying something different, and it may not deter you away completely, but it hurts. The editing is extremely fast paced and plays off almost like a Guy Ritchie film if he ever went into the Sci-Fi fantasy drama (with less British accents). Personally, I liked the quick cuts during the action sequences for the most part, but motion sickness may settle in rather quickly for a lot of people, especially those who aren't expecting Ink to be an action film of any sort.
The story is also very...well, story-driven. To expand, the characters themselves are likable, but not relatable nor really lovable. In essence, you wouldn't really care if any significant character had died; however, the story itself is what keeps your interest. You're constantly asking questions and waiting for something epic to happen at every turn and, towards the end, it does. The pacing is a bit strange though; you'll likely be left extremely satisfied at some parts and horribly underwhelmed at others. Then again, you never feel that the film isn't going anywhere. The makers of Ink knew exactly where they wanted the story to head, and it's clearly evident. Alas, many of the elements of the story aren't made very clear, which is a big problem considering it is introducing a brand new universe to explore. This makes interest in a sequel substantially low, considering you don't even know where the film could go if you don't know half of the background information; then again, the Winans Brothers could have done this on purpose to spur intrigue in a sequel.
As I've stated, this is a film that will divide audiences of all sorts. It's hard to judge this without being impartial, but I loved the film and I feel that it almost impeccably hit its mark. The special effects and character designs are stunning, especially for an independent film with a limited market, and some of the cinematography and lighting is absolutely brilliant. This could have been more consistent had it not been for the weird bloom tone that was ever present, but that's forgivable. The story is immensely interesting (if not immensely informative) and it has a great twist toward the end. All in all, Ink delivers what it wanted, and it's quite the hidden gem of an independent film. If you like Sci-Fi films, Fantasy films or Sci-Fi Fantasy films, definitely check this one out. Ink is extremely underappreciated.
8.0/10
-Kyle Shelton
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