Anon

Anon, directed by Andrew Niccol in 2018, is a gripping and enthralling feature film that merges elements of science fiction and crime thriller genres. The movie articulates a future where privacy, anonymity, and secrets all but cease to exist. With a professional star cast that includes Clive Owen, Afiya Bennett, and Morgan Allen, Anon delves into themes that are intensely relevant today: technology, privacy, and identity.

The movie is set in a dystopian future where advanced technology has radically instated a new socio-political structure. It introduces us to a world devoid of privacy, where everyone's personal information, memories, and experiences are recorded and archived by the government as a method to reduce crime. One's thoughts and visual experiences are not personal; an external audience can access and survey them.

In this world where privacy is a distant memory, Clive Owen stars as Sal Frieland, a hard-nosed detective struggling to solve crimes in a city where there are supposedly no secrets. As public memories recorded through visual implants aid his investigations, the film explores the implications and complexities of living with no privacy at all. His character adds a layer of bleak pessimism and ailing trust in technology to the narrative, evoking empathy and anxious anticipation alike.

When a series of chilling and untraceable murders stump Sal and his team, they discover their only lead to be a mysterious woman with no digital footprint. Played by Amanda Seyfried, this unnamed character, later referred to as the Girl or 'Anon,' is the living embodiment of anonymity in a culture of complete oversight. As the only person capable of hiding herself from this ever-watching system, Anon provides a sharp contrast to the transparent society around her. Seyfried convincingly brings to life this character who is mysteriously capable of manipulating or erasing her identity entirely from the system, something unfathomable in Sal's world.

The plot deepens and tangles as Sal Frieland encounters this anonymous figure during his investigation. As he becomes obsessed with the woman and the murders continue, his life starts spinning into disarray. His journey into this anonymized side of human existence underscores his struggle with the dystopian reality and its aftermath on human lives.

Afiya Bennett accomplishes a notable portrayal of a woman from this transparent world, demonstrating how people adapt to such invasive technology. At the same time, Morgan Allen adds considerable depth to the narrative with an impressive portrayal of a man lost in the world where privacy is extinct.

Apart from the exceptional performances of the lead actors, what makes Anon truly captivating is its ability to push the viewers to question their relationship with technology and its intrusion into personal boundaries. It presents a timeless tension between surveillance and freedom, challenging the notion of the 'common good' against individual rights.

Visually, this movie doesn't disappoint, either. Director Andrew Niccol showcases a minimal yet effective style throughout the movie. The digital text that overlays individuals, objects, and architecture throughout the film creates a hauntingly sterile visual environment, and it’s often the interplay of digital data and reality that drives the story forward. The production design, the cinematographic techniques, and the visual effects all blend seamlessly to depict a world where technological surveillance sits at the core of human existence.

In short, Anon is an enthralling experience laden with suspense and mystery that effortlessly combines elements of a procedural crime story with a thoughtful dystopian setting. Its brilliant narrative along with its incisive commentary on technology, privacy, and identity sets a certain chilling and tense tone that persists in viewer’s minds long after the movie ends.