Review: Incarnation

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Incarnation (aka Inkarnacija)
Directed by Filip KovaceJvic
Void Pictures; Jingai Films; Danse Macabre; MVD Visual
82 minutes, 2016 / 2021
www.facebook.com/filminkarnacija/
www.jingaifilms.com
www.MVDVisual.com

Time-looping has been a subgenre of its own. Sure, Groundhog Day (1993) is arguably the first that most will think of, but there is also the brilliant Kurt Vonnegut Jr. 1969 novel (and subsequent film) Slaughterhouse Five, Inoperable (2018), and arguably, in spirit, Memento (2000).

In this Serbian film (available with either subtitles or dubbed; I chose subtitles), this is neither a comedy nor a social commentary (such as in 2010’s Sprski Film), but rather an action-packed story that focuses on a man, Covek (Stojan Djordjevic, who has kind of an Elvis look to him). Without giving away too much more than the first couple of minutes, he wakes up in a busy city square on a bench, not knowing how he got there nor even his identity (shades of 1996’s The Long Kiss Goodnight and 2002’s The Bourne Identity); he does not even recognize his own reflection. But he is being chased by a group of mostly non-verbal “Men in Black” assassin types in white masks who have no fear of shooting him, nor of the collateral damage of passersby.

Stojan Djordjevic

Each time they make their mark, he reawakens on the bench, as events repeat. He must learn from each time to try to avoid his bloody fate. There is little dialogue, and Covek’s thought narration keeps the viewer in the – er – loop of his mental processes, trying to figure out just what the hell is going on. Honestly, right from the beginning, the story is intriguing, even if we are as confused as he is, which of course, is the point at this early juncture. The reason(s) they are after him escapes him and us, and why and how is time repeating?

There are clues to future events with people that keep recurring as well, such as a sanitation worker, a group of children, and a man running from a woman with a questionable paper bag. But like a flower blooming, or an ever-widening labyrinth, as Covek learns to move using previous – er – incarnations of these events, the story eventually expands beyond the city square and its surroundings, ever building upon itself and keeping it from getting monotonous, despite the purpose of it to be repetitive.

There are also little easter egg clues he discovers over time that is almost like a Mario Bros game where one picks up additional objects to further the knowledge necessary to perhaps avoid a recurring and painful fate. Is it real, or all in his mind? As much as this is an action film, there is also the psychological element that plays with reality, which ups the ante as far as I am concerned.

Most of the acting, other than the protagonist, is rightfully stoic, since the characters we see the most after Covek are the masked professional killers, so it makes sense that Covek is the one source of angst. Though we learn through the credits – or at least IMDB – Covek’s name (I wonder about the choice to reveal that in any form rather than just “The Man,” which I believe would have been a wiser choice, albeit nitpicking), we thereby know more about him simply by knowing his name, if one is inclined to do a bit of research.

Traditional European styles mixed with modern architecture are presented with some amazing visuals, as the camera uses the city as another character, including stone buildings that are on one hand possibly centuries old with modern storefronts, some dark corridors, long underground passageways, and expansive courtyards. The photography veers beautifully between the simple shots to artistic ones (mirror reflections on the eye, for example).

The most effective time skipping films keep the viewer in the perspective of the protagonist to learn as he does, which may lead to some repeat viewings to re-see the clues as they are presented. They ending caught me by surprise and is both extremely satisfying in most ways, though the question of the premise is confused to me. Multiple red herrings mixed into it add to the flavor.

It surprises me that this film is the only credit listed to the director on IMDB, because it shows a strong cinematic eye and an impassioned story by him. Regardless, this is definitely worth viewing if you like mind games, time loops, and Old-World flair.