I STILL SEE YOU: Doesn’t Have 20-20 Vision
Despite so many failing to enthrall, the perpetual young adult genre isn’t letting go. A lot of YA adaptations still make it to theaters, many of which seem to star Bella Thorne. I Still See You is another, and it’s a near flop that doesn’t look to be boundary-defying, instead playing it safe.
I See Dead People
After an event in Chicago killed millions, an experiment gone awry, the dead are everywhere, stuck in loops, referred to as “remnants.” This idea should surface as spooky with a lingering sadness, but mostly it is an exercise in visual flair. That being said, it’s a compelling enough concept that when you see a person you aren’t sure if they are dead or alive until they flutter away. Before then there’s no discernible way to know, they look just like everyone else, as a sort of hologram-like reminder of those who have perished. This choice, to not have them floating off the ground or outlined in a blurry hue, helps the aesthetic land.
Bella Thorne plays Veronica or “Ronnie”, a teenager who is forced to sit down every morning for breakfast across from her father who passed away. This notion could be comforting or haunting, depending on how you look at it, but she seems relatively used to it. When she sees a new remnant (Thomas Elms) in her bathroom one day, and he looks directly at her, even drawing a steam RUN into the mirror, things become complicated. They can’t communicate or speak, but has he somehow become aware?
Enter the brooding Kirk (Richard Harmon) who seems mysterious, with a wave of rumors circling him about his past. One in particular is that he’s obsessed with remnants, sparking Ronnie’s interest given her recent unique brush. Ronnie feels he’s the only one who will understand, and together they set out to find out who this particular ghost is.
When they discover that he was a serial killer before his end, Ronnie is concerned he’s after her. Especially when, it turns out, he goes after girls with the same birthday as Ronnie, February 29th. Can they hurt you? Do they have any sort of consciousness? These answers are given over the course of the rest of the film (somewhat) especially when they meet one of the scientists (Louis Herthum) who caused the event.
Dermot Mulroney plays August Bittner, Ronnie’s teacher, who is the cool and down to earth sort of instructor. He is sort of absent in the first half, with just the occasional tie in, but in the third act his significance grows exponentially in a predictable fashion.
Too Much Info, Not Enough Feeling
As one might expect, there’s more to the characters and to their most recent ghostly obsession than expected. I Still See You teases at a romance between the leads, but it by no means takes center stage. A relief of sorts.
The film has its foibles especially when it comes to exposition (the obligatory classroom overview of remnants and similar events in history) and over-complicating the already sci-fi heavy narrative, but there’s some worthy diversions to be found. It has some skillful use of remnants, and while the color schemes remind me of Twilight, it utilizes its haunting atmosphere. A plodding but effective score by the talented Bear McCreary helps.
Director Scott Speer does harness an eye here for how to frame the camera to accommodate the glum nature. His most recent project, Midnight Sun, was too sappy, while this goes in the other direction. While an improvement, he still hasn’t honed his craft. More sentiment could have benefited the finished product. It is a set up that could really take off if given the right amount of ingredients in front of the camera, including the – at times – convoluted screenplay.
Based on Daniel Water’s novel “Break My Heart One Thousand Times,” Jason Fuchs’ script seems to use what’s given without chiefly adding his own flair. There isn’t enough emotional resonance within a story that could dive into loss with both hands. There are some thrills, if not somewhat expected, and too much time spent on explaining the science of things.
That’s not to say that Bella Thorne isn’t a gifted actress – she is, though she seems to be gobbling up roles fairly fast. There’s something to be said for carefully choosing projects. I Still See You just doesn’t give her the necessary verbiage and spends too much time on the details and explanations. With what she’s given, her and Richard Harmon manage to make the movie diverting, but it could have been more daring. Dermot Mulroney is charming as always, even when he’s not meant to be.
Conclusion: I Still See You
If you’re looking to be swept away in a sci-fi- thriller, you’ll probably be disappointed. For fans of the YA genre, it may be enough for a serving, just don’t expect to be filled. I wasn’t.
What did you think? Did you find the movie compelling? Let us know in the comments below!
I Still See You was released October 12th in theaters and on demand.
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