Has anyone checked in on Harmony Korine lately? He’s always been a filmmaker whose movies are designed to push boundaries and shock audiences, but lately with The Beach Bum and Aggro Dr1ft he’s gotten just plain weird and lacking in cohesive narrative. And it appears that Korine is shooting for a similar vibe with his latest, Baby Invasion, an aggressive combo of violent first-person video game shooters and AI power.
Korine released the Baby Invasion trailer through his EDGLRD media and technology company, with original music by Burial that he developed over Discord and PS5. The visual effects were constructed using AI and powered by video game engines, giving the film its unique look.
What passes for a story takes place inside of a first-person shooter game leaked to the dark web, as a group of mercenaries using baby faces as avatars attack the wealthy while livestreamers watch.
The film premiered out of competition at last year’s Venice Film Festival and reviews were not great, which should come as a shock to nobody. Korine’s never made movies for mass consumption but they have increasingly turned off critics, as well. But if you’re a fan of Korine at this point you’re likely a fan for life, and this movie is aimed at you.
SYNOPSIS: An ultra-realistic, multiplayer FPS game follows a group of mercenaries using baby faces as avatars through the use of AI. Tasked with entering mansions of the rich and powerful, players must explore every rabbit hole before time runs out. As players navigate this dark web-leaked game, the boundaries between the digital and the real world blur.
EDGLRD will release Baby Invasion on March 21st via On Demand.
