‘Myth of Man’ (2025)

Set in a surreal steampunk world, the sci-fi fantasy follows Ella (Laura Rauch), a deaf mute who is convinced she has received a message from her creator and must make contact. ‘Myth of Man’ courses through the unusual society Ella lives in as she tries to figure out the path to communicating with her maker.

A visual blast, ‘Myth of Man’ dives right in to the retro-futuristic world. Filled with vibrant colors and unusual sights, the film immediately captures one’s attention and grips us as this new world offers unseen visual treasures and makes us brace for what may come round the corner.

Swiftly establishing the protagonist as a deaf mute, the film is delivered via distorted background sounds, sharpening ever so slightly when encountering more recognizable elements, such as the railroad, the city bustle or nearby excitement.

Focused in and around Rauch’s Ella, the film tiptoes around the specifics of who or what she is. Dealing largely in abstracts with slight hints here and there, the futuristic society, including Ella, appear to be automated beings, with glowing green or red strips affixed to the upper part of their right shoulders, signaling to indicate towards their general well being.

The format of the film, namely the vivid visual delivery, emphasizes Ella’s condition. As she finds it hard to communicate with others and is impacted differently by the events around her, Rauch manages to deliver a wholesome and kind-hearted character, as Ella makes her way through the city in search of the right people all the while retaining an undying optimism and preparedness for anything.

The one setback exemplified by the strong artistic choice makes it apparent that such a format can become tiring. Following Ella, particularly during chase scenes, the film can feel disorienting and chaotic to an exhausting degree. One or two examples of such a distressing event would suffice in conveying the terror Ella experiences whilst on the run. Instead, the creators have opted to incorporate multiple jumbled and messy pursuits, acting as deterrents to an enjoyable experience.

In the same vein, Ella possesses an extraordinary ability, in that she is able to ward off others from perishing. As the people around her come close to expiring, as indicated by the rapidly flashing red light-strips, she connects with them and in a sense enters their minds.

An abstract expression of connecting with someone, Ella holds others off from being torn away by a raging storm, a whirlpool that threatens to whisk the other person away. Impressive and imaginative, the first few times of the visual representation are breathtaking, as watching Ella rescue others inspires hope. Seeing it repeatedly and seemingly without yielding any long term results caters more to a rambling ordeal that ultimately serves little to no effect.

With Ella’s motivations clear, the character searches for ways to communicate with her creator. What ultimately transpires feels a bit muddled. Encountering Seeg (Anthony Nuccio), a man trying to deliver his own form of social justice, Ella clings to him and ask for help in her journey. The two trek along, meeting a lot of different people, with Ella cataloging the encounters.

Somewhat puzzling, the story retreads a few beats and eventually decides it has to conclude, with a flat and unprovoked climax. As Ella begins to expire, she projects the images of the people she had met, summoning her creator who whisks her away.

Overstaying its welcome, ‘Myth of Man’ feel its length as it delivers multiple repetitive whiplash inducing chase scenes that claim less of an impact with each iteration. Initially stunning, the format of the film retains its novelty throughout, yet the dragged out and weary journey can prove exhausting. A not so subtle statement about the importance of effective communication, ‘Myth of Man’ fails to deliver a clear message for its main character.

Score: 1/4