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Stars: Ryan Gace, Lara Lemon, Samuel Clemens
Director: Tom Ruddock
Producer: View 35 Films

“Welcome to The Draw.”

Based on the concept of seeing people and the world through an Instagram filter, The Draw is one of the best – and scariest – sci-fi films in recent years. Riding the waves of a score reminiscent of that of Vangelis’ in Blade Runner, The Draw is a slow start that rapidly escalates into something thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

Alec (Ryan Gage) is your typical obviously awkward male. Kinda boring, kind bland, he just exists in his job where he stands out for his lack of enthusiasm. His job: help sell avatars to consumers with the new tech called, The EyeLight – where literally everything is replaced with digital imagery. His world, however, is turned upside down with the arrival of new coworker, Jade (Lara Lemon). Much more outgoing than Alec, Jade has immediately caught the eye of Alec’s sleazy coworker and friend, Zane (Samuel Clemens). Zane, the total opposite to Alec, has a ruthlessness in pursuit of career progression, and his aggression worsens in parallel with the bleak development of The EyeLight. In the background of this all is The Draw – a gameshow, politically engaged and motivated, that grows in prominence as The Draw develops. Can Alec and Jade survive the game of the future?

The world established in The Draw would be a physical media lover’s worst nightmare. All analog items are illegal, and found caught in possession would result in punishment. Even marriage is illegal. Even Alec comes into possession of a film camera – a SERIOUS crime.

As the EyeLight tech evolves and progresses, the dystopian nature of the world rapidly escalates, too, running in parallel. Essentially, The Draw suggests that the embracement of certain tech on a rapid scale increases the growth of a dystopian world. Reject it!

The Draw game show itself provides similarities to that of sporting games seen in The Running Man and Hard Target. The disregard for human life, especially that of low financial status, is an excellent ingredient for the dystopian future presented in the film.

The Draw does an excellent job in showcasing the deterioration of normality in people, and the rapid increase of evil and venom within. From supporting characters to The Draw game show, all aspects transcend from being fairly normal to becoming absolutely batshit crazy. And the development feels logically contextualised, which is the scary thing. A dystopian sci-fi film that feels plausible is a very scary concept.

Ultimately, The Draw’s existence as a dystopian sci-fi is fantastic. Aided with a romantic storyline, too, this futuristic sci-fi is not only frightening, but somewhat reassuring too, that as the future draws in something quite bleak, there are still individuals – opposite in personality – committed to fighting against a society and government that both adhere to radical technological developments. What writer-director Tom Ruddock has put together is a brilliant viewing.