As with all reviews on this website, our goal is not to provide a complete overview of the movie, but rather to examine how the movie relates to the meaning of life.
Technotise: Edit & I is a cyberpunk anime, directed by Aleksa Gajić, released in Serbia in 2009. The film takes place in Belgrade, Serbia in the year 2074. The main character, Edit, is a university student studying psychology, struggling to pass her exams. Consequently, in order to get the upper edge, she resorts to having an illegal chip implanted into her body to enhance her memory. In addition to her studies, Edit gets a job helping an autistic mathematical genius, named Abel, to reintegrate into the world.
As it would turn out, Abel discovered the unifying formula for all forces in the universe. However, after his revelation, he withdrew from the world and stopped talking… that is, until one day, before Edit receives a phone call, he tells her not to answer it. Naturally, she is shocked that he finally talked, but despite what he told her, she still answers her phone. Answering the phone takes her on a journey where she is shown the formula that Abel discovered. After seeing the formula, a machine intelligence spawns and evolves from within her body.
The problem with Abel’s formula is that no one can use it, and when a computer or machine attempts a calculation, it becomes self-aware and deconstructs—aka, becomes “algorithm absurd.” However, it is reasoned that the entity within Edit is the key to using the formula. As the movie progresses, the entity within Edit (also named Edit) considers the meaning of life before the grand finale.
Overall, the movie was relatively enjoyable, and the visuals really helped to establish a cyberpunk, futuristic world. But the dialogue lacked substance. Unlike the Ghost in the Shell series, this movie never really goes in depth and never makes one think beyond the cool visuals. The only quote worth mentioning from the movie is found below, which came from an insignificant character, a security guard outside of a club who only appeared once.
Ideals should push us forward, not dependence on things. Do not search for identity in the brands, but rather inside of you.
Although the machine intelligence, Edit, briefly brings up the meaning of life at the end of the movie, there is nothing of substance to report in this post. However, it is interesting that the reoccurring theme of artificial intelligence and machines pondering the question “What is the meaning of life?”, continues to pop up in futuristic movies.
We rate the movie as follows:
Overall - 7
Meaning of Life Relevance - 3
Uniqueness – 6
What did we miss? Comment on this blog post and let us know.