Divinity (film)

Last updated

Divinity
Divinity film.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Eddie Alcazar
Written byEddie Alcazar
Produced by
  • Eddie Alcazar
  • Javier Lovato
  • Raphael Gindre
  • Johnny Starke
Starring
CinematographyDanny Hiele
Edited by
Music by
Production
company
Distributed by Utopia
Release dates
  • January 21, 2023 (2023-01-21)(Sundance)
  • October 14, 2023 (2023-10-14)(United States)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$102,891 [1]

Divinity is a 2023 American science fiction film written and directed by Eddie Alcazar in his directorial debut, [2] and starring Stephen Dorff, Moises Arias, Jason Genao, Karrueche Tran, Michael O'Hearn, Emily Willis, Scott Bakula, and Bella Thorne. [3]

Contents

Steven Soderbergh announced the film in September 2021, joining as an executive producer. The film began production in the same month and continued till late-2022 as a course of a seven-phase shooting schedule with intermittent breaks, instead of a traditional film production process. Much of the filming emphasized use on film stocks and shot entirely in black-and-white reversal formats, rarely used in mainstream filmmaking.

The film had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023, and was released theatrically in the United States on October 14, 2023. [4] [5] It received generally positive reviews for Alcazar's direction, screenplay and the science fiction elements, but criticized for the grotesque nature. [4]

Premise

Set in an otherworldly human existence, scientist Sterling Pierce dedicated his life to the quest for immortality, slowly creating the building blocks of a groundbreaking serum named "Divinity". Jaxxon Pierce, his son, now controls and manufactures his father's once-benevolent dream into a malicious nightmare.

Cast

Production

Steven Soderbergh and Eddie Alcazar announced in September 2021 that they were collaborating on a new film with Alcazar directing and Soderbergh producing, and Soderbergh serving as executive producer. [2] In April 2022, Scott Bakula and Bella Thorne joined the cast, and DJ Muggs would compose the music. [3] The film was made without a script, according to Alcazar: "There is no script for this film, so I was trusted with the virtue of doing my own thing. And I started drawing and sketching ideas, and that’s pretty much how it all came about." [6]

Instead of the traditional pre-production, production and post-production process, Alcazar attempted to do everything all at once, writing and editing through a series of seven different shoots over a year. During the breaks, Alcazar shot a portion of the film, edited for 2–3 months and shot again, while also rewriting the script and begin production with the actors to implement the changes. [7] [8] Even in the pre-production stages, Alcazar denied storyboarding sequences, to leave it open for fresh and new ideas so that filmmaking becomes a fully collaborative and organic process. [8] Due to this, the initial shoot has around 50 crew members but throughout each shooting process, the crew significantly got smaller and smaller until five of the crew were present in shooting one of the scenes. [8]

Alcazar attempted to use film stock for shooting the film in black-and-white formats, despite the logistical challenges as use of film stocks in feature films were quite obsolete. [8] Having acquired the Vision2 and Vision3 stocks from Kodak, he and cinematographer Danny Hiele shot the entire film on 16mm black-and-white reversal, which was rarely used and generated extremely high contrast. Hiele said, "It's a tricky stock to use because you need a lot of light [...] and you don’t have a lot of latitude. You have to be very precise in how you expose the film." [7] Alcazar also used 8mm stocks for few of the sequences. [8] They also used a wide-angle lens equivalent to 24mm in 35mm photography, to bring a visual style that provided the depth in acting and contextualize them within the locations, allowing to feel the environment as a character. Hiele also chose to light locations and sets rather than specific shots or frames, giving the actors the freedom to explore the surroundings. [7]

For filming the epic climatic action sequence, Alcazar was initially skeptic due to monetary constraints and the reduced number of crew being unable to film the scene at a massive scale. [8] Hence, he used the stop motion technique for the extended fight scene. [9] Alcazar had to plan that scene because he could not do multiple takes in stop motion. To make it more efficient, he used the Metascope concept which he did in The Vandal. Alcazar explained the process adding: [8]

"we filled in those shots with live action stuff [shot on] virtual sets with LED walls. All the super wides were miniatures, then you go into stop motion on most of the medium action shots. Then in the closeups, when actors speak or show emotion, that’s all shot on 16mm with the LED walls in the background that we pulled from the miniatures. It’s pretty much the LED walls enlarging these small sets so you feel like you’re inside them." [8]

Music

Release

Divinity had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023, [10] [11] followed by an international premiere at the Taormina Film Festival on June 29, 2023. [12] [13]

In March 2023, Utopia and Sumerian acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film, later setting it for a theatrical release in the United States on October 14, 2023. [14] [15] The film utilized a platform release starting in New York, followed by Los Angeles on October 20, and the wide release began on November 3. The film received an SAG-AFTRA interim agreement to allow cast members to promote the theatrical release during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. [16]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 57% of 44 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.30/10. [17] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [18]

Jeannette Catsoulis, writing for New York Times , described the film as, "an unintentionally comical sci-fi diatribe obsessed with beautiful bodies, bickering brothers and biblical symbolism". She continued, "the occasionally arresting visuals, though, are repeatedly undercut by dumb dialogue and often atrocious acting, the whole experienced through a wall of throbbing, squawking sound. This is not the movie to see if you are nursing a hangover". [19] Jacob Oller, writing for Paste , described it as "a little like a self-important Barbarella , full of half-hearted titillation and taking place in that indistinguishable gray area between a moonbase and a Hollywood sex dungeon", [20] while Nadir Samara, writing for ScreenRant , had a more positive review, praising the visual style, casting, and world-building. [21] Christian Zilko of IndieWire wrote "The film’s overarching vision manages to split the difference between the simplistic rules of an old monster movie and the endlessly complicated bioethics debates you can find in Silicon Valley on a daily basis. It often feels as if we’re looking into a world that began as a carefully manufactured setting for a 1950s Hollywood movie, but has evolved at the same rate as the real world and now exists as a parallel version of our future. But none of Alcazar’s myriad flourishes overshadow the film’s most troubling theme: no matter how much the world changes, we’ll never stop being terrified to leave it." [22]

Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote "Rather like the results generated by its titular substance, this movie has looks to die for, but whatever is on its mind feels at once obscure and unappealing." [23] Siddhant Adlakha of IGN wrote "A super-charged genre throwback that obscures its meaning but has an alluring visual texture, Divinity is completely unique in its conception of sci-fi dystopia, for better and for worse. When a mysterious pair of brothers unleashes their supernatural powers on the rich inventor of an immortality serum, all hell breaks loose, taking the form of spiritual revelry at the end of the world." [24] Howard Waldstein of Comic Book Resources wrote "Divinity might lack the necessary anchoring for some audiences, but it's well worth checking out. Inspiration can be found everywhere; sometimes, it takes some cinematic jostling to dislodge long-held beliefs. In a sea of sameness, it's nice to know that filmmakers are still taking huge swings with little regard for how it'll all pan out." [25] Carlos Aguilar of Los Angeles Times wrote "Alcazar argues in his sumptuous if convoluted tale, comes from its finite timeline." [26]

Dais Johnston of Inverse wrote "this experimental movie will be a great time for the sliver of the audience who can look through the superficial layers to mine some kind of deeper meaning. But any story that Divinity is trying to communicate is only buried beneath the film’s splashy stylings." [27] Chase Hutchinson of Collider wrote "Even as it may not rise to the level of other stunning science fiction visions from this year, there is still so much to appreciate in every single moment of Alcazar’s latest. It’s an experience you’ll only wish you could inject right into your veins even as it may end up leaving your head spinning and possibly painfully stretching from what you just witnessed." [28] Nick Schager of The Daily Beast wrote "It may be a calling card venture for Alcazar, but it’s an impressive one, and portends potentially big, and chillingly unhinged, things for his own cinematic future." [29] Richard Whittaker of The Austin Chronicle wrote "For a movie about our relationship with our bodies, there's surprisingly little intellectual meat on its pretentious bones." [30]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Golden Trailer Awards May 30, 2024 Best Motion/Title GraphicsDivinityNominated [31]
[32]
Nashville Film Festival October 4, 2023Best Graveyard Shift Feature Eddie Alcazar Nominated [33]
Sitges Film Festival October 15, 2023 Best Motion Picture Eddie Alcazar Nominated [34]
Sundance Film Festival January 29, 2023 Next Innovator Award Eddie Alcazar Nominated [35]

References

  1. "Divinity (2023)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved December 15, 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. 1 2 Vlessing, Etan (September 17, 2021). "Steven Soderbergh, Eddie Alcazar Reteam for 'Divinity' Thriller (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Cordero, Rosy (April 20, 2022). "Scott Bakula & Bella Thorne Among Final Cast Of 'Divinity,' Cypress Hills' DJ Muggs To Serve As Musical Composer". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Wise, Damon (January 25, 2023). "Sundance Review: The Weird World Of Eddie Alcazar's 'Divinity'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  5. Gardner, Chris (January 22, 2023). "Sundance: "Medical Incident" Causes Stir on Main Street During 'Divinity' World Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  6. Falco Raez, Constanza. "Lust Eternal | Featuring Stephen Dorff, Bella Thorne, Eddie Alcazar, and Karrueche Tran". Flaunt. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Hemphill, Jim (October 13, 2023). "Steven Soderbergh's Gamble Resulted in Eddie Alcazar's 'Divinity,' One of 2023's Best-Looking Movies". IndieWire . Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Macaulay, Scott (October 17, 2023). "From 50 Crew Members to Five: Director Eddie Alcazar on Divinity". Filmmaker . Archived from the original on January 20, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  9. Frank, Michael (January 25, 2023). "Sundance Review: Divinity is a Cult Classic in the Making". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  10. "Program Guide | 2023 Sundance Film Festival". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  11. Topel, Fred (January 26, 2023). "Sundance movie review: Divinity is pure sci-fi inanity". United Press International. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  12. Cordero, Rosy (June 12, 2023). "Eddie Alcazar's Sci-Fi Thriller Divinity Sets International Premiere At Taormina Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 26, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  13. "Divinity – EN". Taormina Film Fest . May 24, 2023. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  14. Azad, Navid Nikkhah. "UTOPIA and SUMERIAN acquire worldwide rights to Eddie Alcazar's DIVINITY". Deed.News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  15. Grobar, Matt (August 8, 2023). "Divinity Release Date: Sundance-Premiering Sci-Fi Thriller Starring Stephen Dorff & Bella Thorne Bowing This Fall Via Utopia And Sumerian". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  16. Grobar, Matt (September 22, 2023). "Sundance-Premiering Sci-Fi Thriller Divinity Starring Stephen Dorff & Bella Thorne Lands Interim Agreement". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  17. "Divinity". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  18. "Divinity". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on February 21, 2025. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  19. Catsoulis, Jeannette (October 12, 2023). "Divinity Review: Missed Conception". The New York Times . Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  20. Oller, Jacob (October 13, 2023). "To Err Is Human, To Film It Is Divinity". Paster . Archived from the original on August 15, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  21. Samara, Nadir (October 13, 2023). "Divinity Review: Eddie Alcazar Has Made 2023's Weirdest & Bravest Films". Screen Rant . Archived from the original on September 13, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  22. Zilko, Christian (October 15, 2023). "'Divinity' Review: Eddie Alcazar's Black-and-White Retro Nightmare Is One of the Year's Freshest Films". IndieWire . Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  23. Harvey, Dennis (October 9, 2023). "'Divinity' Review: Stephen Dorff Engineers a Hardbodied Future". Variety . Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  24. Adlakha, Siddhant (November 2, 2023). "Divinity Review". IGN . Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  25. Waldstein, Howard (October 12, 2023). "REVIEW: Divinity is a Transfixing Sci-Fi Body Horror About Living Forever". Comic Book Resources . Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  26. Aguilar, Carlos (October 20, 2023). "Review: Immortality is for sale in 'Divinity,' a sci-fi thinker destined for a long cult life". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  27. Johnston, Dais (October 12, 2023). "2023's Most Baffling Sci-Fi Movie Is Beautiful But Incomprehensible". Inverse . Archived from the original on May 18, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  28. Hutchinson, Chase (October 20, 2023). "'Divinity' Review: Inject This Sci-Fi Horror Ride Into Your Veins". Collider . Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  29. Schager, Nick (October 13, 2023). "Sci-Fi Thriller 'Divinity' Stuns With Horror—and Weirdness". The Daily Beast . Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  30. Whittaker, Richard (November 3, 2023). "Movie Review: Divinity". The Austin Chronicle . Archived from the original on February 21, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  31. "The GTA24 Nominees" (PDF). Golden Trailer Awards. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 21, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  32. "The GTA24 Winners" (PDF). Golden Trailer Awards. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  33. "2023 Festival". Nashville Film Festival. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  34. "56th Edition Award Winners". Sitges Film Festival . Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  35. Donnelly, Matt; Debruge, Peter (January 27, 2023). "Sundance Winners: 'A Thousand and One' Takes U.S. Dramatic Jury Prize (Complete List)". Variety . Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.