APP (2013)

Studio:       RAM Releasing
Director:    Bobby Boermans
Writer:       Robert A. Jansen
Producer:  Edvard van’t Wout, Kess Abrahams, Robin de Levita
Stars:     Hannah Hoekstra, Robert de Hoog, Isis Cabolet, Harry van Rijthoven, Mark van Eeuwen, Jeroen Spitzenberger, Matthijs van de Sande Bakhuyzen

Review Score:

---

Summary:

A sentient smartphone app terrorizes a young college student by taking control of the technology around her with deadly results.

---

Synopsis:     Show/Hide Spoilers

After checking her phone’s voicemail messages, Liesbeth is drawn out of her car and is struck by an oncoming train. Second screen #1: A static news bulletin about the incident is delivered to the viewer’s phone.

College student Anna Rijnders and her friend Sophie Welts flirt with their swim coach Sim before Anna goes to class. Anna then visits her paralyzed brother Stijn in the hospital and observes his physical therapy session. Dr. Carlo explains an experimental procedure planned to help Stijn walk again by using a computer chip implanted in his spine. Anna returns home afterward. Second screen #2: An extended exterior shot shows Anna arriving home via motorcycle.

Anna attends a party with Sophie and Sophie’s boyfriend Daan Thijsse. There, Anna reunites with old acquaintance Tim Maas. Second screen #3: Sophie sends Anna a text message.

Hungover, Anna wakes the next morning to find a strange application named “Iris” downloaded to her phone. The software functions like a smartphone personal assistant akin to Siri. Second screen #4: Iris activates on the phone.

When Iris activates during Anna’s Philosophy lecture, the professor, Andrey, confiscates Anna’s phone. In his office, Iris transfers itself onto Andrey’s phone before Anna comes to retrieve her own phone. Second screen #5: The camera on Andrey’s phone shows him initiating a sexual encounter with a gay student after Anna exits. Second screen #6: A static image of a Smith and Wesson handgun is shown in tandem with the one displayed on Anna’s phone. Second screen #7: The phone’s camera shows Anna interacting with Iris while lying in bed.

A video shot at the party that shows Sophie having sex begins circulating. Sophie blames Anna. Second screen #8: Sophie confronts Anna with the video while Anna takes a shower.

Anna visits a tech store to have the Iris app deleted. Second screen #9: Iris hides its icon on the phone. Second screen #10: Video of a nude Anna entering the shower plays before appearing on all of the monitors in the store.

Anna and Sophie reconcile. During the next philosophy lecture, video of Andrey and his student recorded inside Andrey’s office appears onscreen in front of the entire class. Second screen #11: The video plays at the same time it does for the students.

Anna visits her brother again. Iris appears to infect Dr. Carlo’s tablet. Second screen #12: A surveillance camera feed shows Stijn in his hospital bed.

The students gawk at Andrey when he returns to school. Second screen #13: Additional angles show the students leering in the professor’s direction. As the students assemble around Andrey, he produces a handgun and shoots himself. Second screen #14: Cell phone footage shows Andrey’s public tirade before committing suicide.

Suspicious of the Iris software and unable to delete it, Anna trades her phone for another one at a used electronics store. When the clerk later tries to uninstall the program, his shop explodes with Anna and Sophie as witnesses.

Anna visits Tim for help removing Iris permanently, but he dodges her inquiries. As Anna prepares to destroy her SIM card, her phone shows surveillance footage of Stijn going into cardiac arrest. Anna races to the hospital. Second screen #15: The security camera shows a medical team attempting to resuscitate Anna’s brother.

Anna confronts Dr. Carlo about her brother. Via her phone, Anna sees that Sophie’s Facebook page has updated with a date of death identifying the next day. Second screen #16: Tim and Dr. Carlo have a text message exchange about Anna becoming meddlesome. Second screen #17: The phone makes a call to Aqua Dive, where Sophie is swimming. Anna races to the pool, but she and Sim are unable to save Sophie when a piece of machinery falls in the water and electrocutes her. Second screen #18: Dr. Carlo tells Tim that he wants out of their arrangement, but Tim refuses.

Anna and Dan mourn Sophie’s death. Anna leaves Dan and his car is struck by an oncoming truck. Second screen #19: Dan’s cell phone camera shows him slumped over the steering wheel.

Anna reexamines her cell phone video from the party and notices Tim installing the Iris app on her phone. She angrily confronts Tim, who admits to creating the Iris software in league with Dr. Carlo. Anna scalds Tim’s face with boiling water and escapes his apartment. Second screen #20: Tim texts a warning about Anna to Dr. Carlo.

Anna rushes to the hospital and attempts to remove her brother from the machinery. Dr. Carlo intervenes and a confrontation ensues. Anna flees to an elevator, but Iris overrides its operating system. Second screen #21: Dr. Carlo texts Tim to hurry to the hospital.

Anna eventually frees herself from the elevator. Second screen #22: Tim and Dr. Carlo chase Anna to the building’s rooftop. Tim beats Dr. Carlo to death. Second screen #23: A one-minute countdown begins while the phone charges. The phone then relays an overload error. Tim answers a call and the phone explodes, killing him.

Anna and her brother, now able to walk freely, prepare to take a flight. After they board, Iris takes over the plane’s control system. Second screen #24: Iris delvers a text message that reads, “watch out, you’re next!”

---

Review:

When it comes to seeing a movie in a theater, the only thing more annoying than the sounds of cellophane candy wrappers and popcorn being masticated is an inconsiderate cellphone drawing attention to its bright glow or noisy ringtone.  Billed as the first second-screen film, Dutch thriller “App” takes a unique approach to working around this pervasive 21st century distraction by turning the phone into a featured component of the movie.  After downloading an app named “Iris” and synching it to the film’s audio, the viewer’s own phone provides a second layer to enhance the viewing experience with randomly delivered clips, images, and additional content.

“Iris” delivers something quite a bit different to perky and plucky college student Anna, however.  After a hazy night of partying with friends and flirting with a love interest, Anna wakes the next morning with a serious hangover and a mysterious piece of software installed on her smartphone.  The film’s version of “Iris” is a sentient piece of programming bent on destroying everyone in Anna’s life by uploading compromising videos, manipulating machinery, and even orchestrating impossible collisions with oncoming traffic.

Combining bits of “Pulse” and “Maximum Overdrive” while fueled by Y2K paranoia about the impossibility of escaping modern technology, Robert A. Jansen’s streamlined script is light on depth, but heavy on slick PG-13 appeal.  Director Bobby Boermans and his crew craft a big budget look that places “App” in league with similar teen-targeted fare more focused on an attractive cast and jump from your seat jolts than truly meaty moments.

The skeleton story is aided immensely by lead actress Hannah Hoekstra.  She has an easy screen presence of almost effortless charisma that complements her equally charming co-stars without overshadowing them.  Indeed, the entire film is so well-produced that looking the other way when it comes to the plot’s paper-thin plausibility is much easier to do.

As a standalone movie rated on its own, “App” is only mediocre, and would likely net somewhere in the neighborhood of two and a half out of five stars.  Set aside the second screen novelty and it is impossible to imagine anyone remembering the film for its content in years to come.

Of course, the real draw is the unique use of the accompanying companion app in the palm of the viewer’s hand.  The real world “Iris” inarguably makes “App” a more entertaining experience, although the lasting satisfaction has a hollowness that makes it a bit of a letdown in spite of the inventiveness.

I counted two-dozen total uses of the second screen during the movie, with all but a scant few lasting no more than a few seconds.  These inessential asides range in value from things like extended exposition shots to alternate camera angles.  For instance, while Anna fiddles with her phone on the big screen, the little one shows the camera phone’s point of view as it looks back at Anna.

Like the movie itself, it is a largely disposable endeavor, although two uses in particular lend a modest boost.  One is a text message exchange between two characters that adds to the backstory while the other is a nefarious countdown timer foreshadowing the climax in a devilish way.  See the movie without knowing about the smartphone feature, or just flat out refuse to play along, and you would never know you were missing any extra content.  But as the first film to employ such a concept, trying it out firsthand as a curious film fan is an irresistible temptation.

The total package is mostly underwhelming, as the thriller is too tame and the second-screen enhancement too passive to really wrap up the audience in the fiction.  However, I confess that the very concept of the film’s immersive premise had me grinning delightedly in anticipation of finally seeing how it was all put together.  Even if the payoff lacks punch, credit is deservedly due to the filmmakers for delivering something out of the ordinary.  The true intention of “App” is to reinvigorate the moviegoing experience with a playful dose of creative fun.  And in that regard, “App” succeeds.

Review Score:  65

---