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“Coma” (2019) is a Russian science fiction action film directed by Nikita Argunov, combining elements of surrealism, fantasy, and dystopian themes. The film presents a visually stunning depiction of a world that exists entirely within the mind of a comatose patient, offering a unique blend of action and psychological exploration. Coma stands out for its inventive use of visual effects to portray a warped, dream-like universe filled with bizarre landscapes and physics-defying environments.

Plot Overview

The film follows an unnamed protagonist, a talented architect (played by Rinal Mukhametov), who wakes up in a strange and distorted world after a traumatic accident that leaves him in a coma. This world, known as the Coma, is an unstable, dream-like landscape filled with fragmented memories, odd geometry, and altered laws of physics. Buildings, cities, and entire environments from different people’s memories are combined and rearranged into surreal, impossible landscapes.

As the architect tries to make sense of his surroundings, he encounters a group of other coma patients who, like him, are trapped in this world. Led by Phantom (Anton Pampushnyy), this group includes a variety of individuals with unique abilities that correspond to their real-world skills or experiences. They reveal that the Coma is populated by dangerous entities known as Reapers, who hunt down and kill anyone trying to escape.

The protagonist soon learns that survival in the Coma is difficult, as reality can shift at any moment, and those who die in this world die in real life as well. He must navigate the ever-changing environment, avoid the Reapers, and figure out how to wake up from this nightmare.

As the story progresses, the architect uncovers secrets about the nature of the Coma and the individuals trapped within it, leading to an intense battle for survival and the possibility of escape. Along the way, he questions the morality of the choices made by those in charge of this limbo-like world and the true nature of reality itself.

Key Characters

• The Architect (Rinal Mukhametov): The main protagonist, a young architect who finds himself trapped in the surreal world of the Coma after a traumatic accident. His journey is one of survival and discovery as he tries to understand the rules of this world and how to escape it. His skills as an architect play a crucial role in how he navigates the Coma’s fragmented landscape.
• Phantom (Anton Pampushnyy): The leader of the survivors in the Coma. He is tough, pragmatic, and experienced in surviving the dangers of this world. Phantom helps guide the architect through this hostile environment and teaches him how to use the abilities granted to them by their subconscious minds.
• Fly (Lyubov Aksyonova): A fellow survivor and member of Phantom’s group, Fly is compassionate and brave. She forms a close bond with the architect and helps him adapt to life in the Coma.
• Yan (Milos Bikovic): Another important character, Yan has his own agenda and secrets that complicate the group’s mission to survive and find a way out of the Coma.
• Reapers: These are the main antagonists of the film, monstrous creatures that hunt down and destroy the minds of those trapped in the Coma. They represent the danger of succumbing to the coma in the real world and never waking up.

Themes

• Perception vs. Reality: Coma explores the fluidity of reality and perception, as the world within the coma is a chaotic blend of memories, dreams, and subconscious fears. The film delves into how individuals’ realities are shaped by their memories and emotions, creating a constantly shifting and unstable environment.
• Survival and Human Resilience: Much of the film focuses on the struggle to survive in the Coma, where every choice can mean life or death. The survivors’ ability to adapt to their strange new reality mirrors the resilience of the human mind in the face of extreme circumstances.
• Memory and Identity: The fragmented landscape of the Coma is made up of the memories of those trapped within it, raising questions about how memory defines identity. The characters must confront their pasts, both in how they shaped their real lives and how they influence their actions within the Coma.
• Escapism and Morality: As the characters learn more about the Coma and their situation, they are forced to confront ethical dilemmas about survival and the cost of escape. The film poses questions about the morality of manipulating reality and how far one should go to return to the real world.

Visual Style and Atmosphere

Coma is visually stunning, with its depiction of a fragmented world unlike anything seen in traditional sci-fi films. The landscape is surreal, filled with floating buildings, upside-down structures, and disjointed environments that seem to break all laws of physics. These visuals reflect the dream-like nature of the coma state and provide a constant sense of unpredictability and danger.

The film uses a combination of practical effects and CGI to create this world, and the result is a visually immersive experience. The environments are richly detailed, from crumbling cities to natural landscapes that defy logic, providing a backdrop that enhances the tension and mystery of the story.

The action scenes are dynamic, taking full advantage of the physics-defying world in which the characters can leap across floating debris, scale impossible structures, and battle in mid-air. The fluidity of the world allows for creative and visually engaging set pieces that keep the viewer on edge.

Reception

Coma received praise for its impressive visual effects and inventive world-building. While the film’s narrative may be familiar to fans of other sci-fi films involving altered realities (such as Inception or The Matrix), it stands out for its unique visual style and the Russian cultural context that sets it apart from more traditional Hollywood fare.

Critics appreciated the film’s bold ambition, particularly in creating a visually compelling and surreal world. However, some reviews pointed out that the film’s story, while engaging, was somewhat predictable, following familiar tropes of the genre. Despite this, Coma was generally well-received as a visually striking and entertaining addition to the sci-fi landscape.

Conclusion

Coma (2019) is a visually spectacular sci-fi thriller that takes viewers into a dream-like world where reality is constantly shifting and survival is a matter of adapting to the chaos. With its inventive use of visual effects, the film offers a unique take on the concept of altered realities and the power of the subconscious mind. While its plot may tread familiar territory, Coma stands out for its atmosphere, action sequences, and exploration of memory and identity within a surreal, dystopian world. It’s a must-watch for fans of visually driven science fiction that challenges the boundaries of perception and reality.