Adam (Jim Sturgess) and Eden (Kirsten Dunst) fell in love as twins, but a strange astrological condition keeps them apart.  They live on twined worlds with gravities that pull in opposite directions.  Eden is in the world Above while Adam is in the poverty stricken Down Below.  Their budding romance screeches to a halt when border patrol agents catch them and Eden suffers a supposedly fatal fall.  Ten years later, Adam finds out she is alive and he makes a gamble to work for the corporation that links the two worlds Transworld, by agreeing to develop his anti-aging cream for the company so he can get close to her again.  There are many obstacles in his way other than opposing gravities like he isn’t supposed to communicate with the other side unless it is necessary and she has amnesia. 

 

UPSIDE DOWN is a visionary sci-fi fantasy film.  The visuals are unlike anything I have ever seen before and the coolest that come to the visuals are the dream sequences in INCEPTION.  Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst have nice chemistry as you root for them to overcome the odds to be together.   UPSIDE DOWN is a good sci-fi romance to rent and maybe even own.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Making-of featurette which plays in two versions- one with English subtitles and the other without subtitles as the crew speaks in French and the cast speaks in English as you see how the story came together (from a  dream Juan Solanas had)  and how the movie was put together by using green screen, sets, and motion control cameras.  Somehow they included the whole featurette twice (probably by mistake).

 

Two deleted scenes add nothing new.

The Preliminary Sketches show a world even more awesome than what was visualized in the movie including the lovemaking sequence.

Juan Solanas provides audio commentary for two storyboards sequences (TANGO, MISSING FOREST storyboards which show a part of a chase sequence I wish they could have visualized in the film) and three previz sequences (SAGE MOUNTAIN, OFFICE, FINAL SHOT).

 

Also on the disc is the theatrical trailer for UPSIDE DOWN and previews for BROOKLYN CASTLE, ICEMAN, WHAT MAISIE KNEW, STRAIGHT A’S, and STUCK IN LOVE.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS: UPSIDE DOWN is a visual treat with great chemistry between the two leads in this sci-fi fantasy romance tale which will touch some people’s hearts while others will just marvel at the special effects work that created this place with two worlds of opposing gravities.

 

This DVD review is (c)6-26-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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