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Artefacts

Artefacts (2007) Movie Poster
  •  Belgium  •    •  75m  •    •  Directed by: Giles Daoust, Emmanuel Jespers.  •  Starring: Cécile Boland, Max Digby, Jason Morell, Felix Scott, Mary Stockley, Martin Swabey, Veronique Van de Ven, Peter Warnock.  •  Music by: Ernst Meinrath.
      A young woman realizes her friends are being murdered by their own doubles. She and her boyfriend work to solve the mystery before becoming victims themselves.

Trailers:

   Length:  Languages:  Subtitles:
 1:12
 
 

Review:

Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
Image from: Artefacts (2007)
There are so many people confused by Artefacts... frankly, I'm confused why everyone is so confused! If you just pay attention, and give the attention this film requires, you'll understand plenty. Just because it has an open ending, that doesn't mean answers weren't given.

Kate is a career gal that seems to have things going for her, except for a failed relationship. All of a sudden her employee and friends start turning up dead, killed by doppelgangers. Even the news reports mention a strange metallic artifact (spelled artefact in the film, due to its Belgian production I assume) that has been found inside each victim. Kate finds that her own doppelganger is hunting her down, and the implant is possibly a tracking device for the doppelgangers to find each victim. The arrival of each doppelganger is preceded by a clicking, ticking sound as well. Through investigation on the internet she finds a big clue to what is going on around the world, and she is just another pawn in the whole thing.

She then meets up with a man named Carl Francken who reveals just enough for us to know some of the "why" of the situation but only just a tidbit to keep us in the dark and still trying to figure things out. In a way this would have made a great X-Files episode, much of the atmosphere and story fit that well. I'm also very much reminded of the wonderful 2008 feature "The Broken" with Lena Headey (which equally baffled many U.S. viewers but, if paid close attention to, gave more answers to its mystery than Artefacts does). There is also an "experimentgame" element that reminded me of the 2005 film "Experiment." However, Artefacts is a story and film of its own, and I feel holds up well.

These days, particularly in U.S. audiences, people want easy answers and wrapped up solutions in their movies. If they have to think while watching a film or try to think some more after the credits roll, they get angry. I've read some very severely hateful things in comments online about Artefacts, The Broken, Session 9, and a good example -- the 2001 film The Wind, where people just didn't get it. They were upset that they had to think, figure things out, and put the puzzle together. They weren't easily handed blood and boobs on a platter; just angry that they had to do a little work as well as sit back and watch.

Artefacts, to me as well as some open-minded friends, turned out to be a tense well-made, well-acted thriller, and smartly made on a low budget (only $100,000) with an intriguing premise and execution. I love to view it with friends as a double-feature with The Broken, as each has its own strange world to absorb and mess with your head. Some folks may say it's a European thing, but I sure welcome a viewing challenge and for me it paid off quite well.


Review by hippiedj from the Internet Movie Database.

 
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