Netflix's iBoy Shines a Light

REVIEW

iBoy opens upon the nightscape of Central London: the place where dreams of limitless upward mobility are waiting to be awoken. Yet only moments later, a contrast: London at day. The true dog-eat-dog world, not of the high-rise but instead of the housing estate under rule of the drug kingpin.

In the teen sci-fi thriller, we encounter lead Tom’s struggles to overcome the harshness of his world, after coming across the scene of his best friend Lucy’s sexual assault by a gang. As he is chased from the scene, Tom is shot by a member of the gang. As the bullet strikes the phone in his hand, fragments of it fly into his head. He’s lucky to survive, however, finds a new ability to view the world in rich detail thanks to the new super-computer brain equipped to him by the fragments: iBoy is born.

A new vigilante, his powers are able to truly affect the gang he seeks revenge on. In a world where our most intimate details are shared with technology, Tom is able to utilise this to attempt to save his best friend.

Whilst the premise of the film (and indeed its name) lends to thoughts of technology set in the early 2000s, iBoy manages to place itself comfortably in a modern day setting. That being said, the opening third of the film does tend to rely on the 90s-style representation of technology, with blue orbs glowing around phones, and crude loading-style graphics as he attempts to find information about his targets. However, as the film progresses and he comes to accept and understand his powers, the film beautifully shifts into subtly portraying the technology in such a way that it feels as if the readings of technology are truly an extension of his thoughts and feelings.

Perhaps due to its visual exploration of the private elements of life through technology, the film does seem to be lacking a real-world story. In this way, whilst we are able to see on-screen the relationships (or potential relationships) of the characters, we are not allowed the privilege of fully exploring how these have and continue to develop.

The film must be credited, however, for its unapologetic willingness to explore elements of mental health that are especially prevalent in teen society today. The issues help ground the verisimilitude of the film in its early stages against the contrast of the tacky representation of technology, but also help to showcase their true effects throughout. Indeed, even in the final moments of the film, the effects of Lucy’s attack continue to be explored and conveyed.

iBoy isn’t an amazing film; whilst it explores important issues and manages to shift the technology genre into a current-day setting, it falls flat at its attempt of a creative story arc.

Yes, the characters are believable, yes, we feel sympathy (and even empathy) for them, yes, we believe in the superhero elements. However, whilst we are lead into believe it all, the story fails to capture our investment. iBoy relies on the traditional intrinsic elements of both sci-fi and teen romance, rather than adding to it with newfound extrinsic elements.

Perhaps we are just so used to excess in the genre (the plot twists, thrilling scenes, and fight elements) that when a film comes along that showcases the reality of life (albeit with the technological elements of the film), we can be underwhelmed and immediately critique it.

iBoy at points does tend to feel more like just another item in Netflix’s new hard push for more "content," rather than being show-stopping as with the likes of House of Cards, Narcos, and The Crown. Yet with that being said, at only 90 minutes, iBoy is worth a watch.

The film certainly fills the space above the epidemic of passable films, with its spotless cinematography and truthful acting. But the most important takeaway from this film isn’t its marketed element of "boy turned supercomputer" but instead of the way it shines a light on important issues that affect the realities of our everyday lives.

iBoy is streaming now on Netflix.

What are your thoughts on the film? Have a watch and let me know.