Recommended to me as interesting, intelligent movie. I watched it twice. At first, I wasn't impressed, but it looked OK. As I fell asleep for 10-15 minutes somewhere in the middle, I decided to give it another try. Especially after reading praising reviews here which made me think I probably lost track with the story during these missing 10-15 minutes, or something crucial to understand the concept. Unfortunately, after a second chance, it was even bigger disappointment. Movie starts promising, in pretty ordinary, casual setting. A young girl and a boy got introduced after some unknown important test where both scored extreme yet opposite results. Then, strong reactions happen upon their contacts, followed by weird events, so they cannot stay close to each other more than 1 minute. Fairly interesting indeed. Also, camera work is really good and quite artistic. Unfortunately, that's all about it. Slowly, movie takes confused and dull rather than interesting route.
Frequencies suffers from style-over-substance and trying-so-hard syndromes. There is just too much of everything. When it tries as romance movie, it fails because of general mechanic flow and "scientific" coldness. "The higher the frequency, the lower the empathy" - as main female character was described could explain that, but however, it's no excuse. Flat, emotionless movies are not good no matter the genre and lack of any sentimentality in drama and especially romance is just a failure.
Then, it tries at social commentary, with very poor results. Standard concepts of social control and mental manipulation, perhaps the social effect of modern technologies are perpetuated... but in so superficial and obnoxious manner. Basically, a social commentary just for the sake of it. Also, since government agents or whatever got introduced in the story, the movie really drags in unneeded nonsense and becomes difficult to follow.
Self-help and (anti) psychiatry themes are covered. For instance, the negative frequency of main guy "not in sync with nature" and main girl's way too high one which prevents her to "feel" can also imply mental disabilities like autism. The problem however is lack of transparency in these subjects, as it never goes beyond simple implications. Seems that atmosphere was clearly set at inoffensive and "positive", to prevent cool and "smart" tone of the movie. Possible mental disabilities got masked, characters typically presented as "genius". Minor scenes which imply autism by displaying repetitive behavior still stay neutral, in a way of some "cool" screen shots. A scene where the couple was prescribed with "dose of Mozart and Brahms" is just so damn namby-pamby and downright stupid. Even most characters were named by gifted scientists or composers (Newton, Tesla, Strauss etc.) for totally unclear and bizarre reason. Red flag for pretentiousness risen!
Oh, and that notorious aspect, the flirt with (cough!) existential philosophy. Without doubt, this is where Frequencies is at the most pretentious and where it failed to lowest. Philosophical phrases are extensively used throughout entire movie, in most laconic way imaginable. Such desperate desire to appear so intellectual is just annoying. So, philosophical catch-phrases are constantly thrown everywhere, but in fact, the initial idea of the whole movie hardly have some(if any)depth. The premise goes literally like this: there are people who emotionally cannot get together(because of their extremely opposite "frequencies"), they are not "destined" to be (add there many boring contemplations about fate, shown in the movie), some words can change that (certain tones may change "frequencies"), but these words can be also used as a tool to manipulate and control others, while certain music (like Mozart, doh!)is antidote (it brings all humans at the the same "frequency") and can unify whole mankind on subconscious level (add there that inane social commentary part) It's perhaps interesting, but no need for some extra intelligence to realize how naïve and flawed this "theory" is. However, this "theory" is not the issue, but lack of content around that idea in the movie.
At this point, Frequencies enters New-Ageisms (Scientology?) and perhaps cyber occultism? Like a magic formulas, some meaningless words are used to manipulate people and get them instantly act. There are digital devices who generate these "magic" words. Meh, come on! The way these ideas got executed in the plot is absolutely lazy, random and stupid. Good science fiction IS based on science, but this is just childish "futuristic" fiction. There is even some device with video transmission of future events, another idea thrown in the plot for no actual reason? Oh, my
On top of all, the most horrid side are tendencies at artistic and even avant-garde. There's numerous flaws in plot, atmosphere and even acting, yet whole package fools out with faux "unconventionality". Frequencies pretends to be intelligent, but ends as mumbo jumbo. It tries as artistic movie, but ends as arty-farty one. It's often suggested as atmospheric, "visual" movie. Well, camera is classy, but it's still far from good atmospheric movie. Lynch's Eraserhead or Tarkovsky's Stalker are examples of atmospheric masterpieces - where actual story was secondary, moving at very slow pace, while visual side was primary. That sometimes seems to be the case with Frequencies. It's visually strong but only in technical terms, because unlike these two movies it cannot express anything emotional or captivating. While it's story is not that buried, it also moves in much faster pace. But, clocking at 100 minutes, Frequencies looks long-winded, like there is about 30 minutes more than needed.
So finally, the movie just died under all that mess. Near the end, I simply started to ask - what's the damn point of all this? Seems that directors were also aware that it got lost along the way. Even the closing scene with two main characters clearly ends in that fashion. Frequencies is nothing but superficial effort to be extraordinary, original, smart, artistic. Result is pretentious and faceless movie. It's blueprint of all wrong in modern art - made out of boredom, with desire to impress but nothing to express.
Frequencies suffers from style-over-substance and trying-so-hard syndromes. There is just too much of everything. When it tries as romance movie, it fails because of general mechanic flow and "scientific" coldness. "The higher the frequency, the lower the empathy" - as main female character was described could explain that, but however, it's no excuse. Flat, emotionless movies are not good no matter the genre and lack of any sentimentality in drama and especially romance is just a failure.
Then, it tries at social commentary, with very poor results. Standard concepts of social control and mental manipulation, perhaps the social effect of modern technologies are perpetuated... but in so superficial and obnoxious manner. Basically, a social commentary just for the sake of it. Also, since government agents or whatever got introduced in the story, the movie really drags in unneeded nonsense and becomes difficult to follow.
Self-help and (anti) psychiatry themes are covered. For instance, the negative frequency of main guy "not in sync with nature" and main girl's way too high one which prevents her to "feel" can also imply mental disabilities like autism. The problem however is lack of transparency in these subjects, as it never goes beyond simple implications. Seems that atmosphere was clearly set at inoffensive and "positive", to prevent cool and "smart" tone of the movie. Possible mental disabilities got masked, characters typically presented as "genius". Minor scenes which imply autism by displaying repetitive behavior still stay neutral, in a way of some "cool" screen shots. A scene where the couple was prescribed with "dose of Mozart and Brahms" is just so damn namby-pamby and downright stupid. Even most characters were named by gifted scientists or composers (Newton, Tesla, Strauss etc.) for totally unclear and bizarre reason. Red flag for pretentiousness risen!
Oh, and that notorious aspect, the flirt with (cough!) existential philosophy. Without doubt, this is where Frequencies is at the most pretentious and where it failed to lowest. Philosophical phrases are extensively used throughout entire movie, in most laconic way imaginable. Such desperate desire to appear so intellectual is just annoying. So, philosophical catch-phrases are constantly thrown everywhere, but in fact, the initial idea of the whole movie hardly have some(if any)depth. The premise goes literally like this: there are people who emotionally cannot get together(because of their extremely opposite "frequencies"), they are not "destined" to be (add there many boring contemplations about fate, shown in the movie), some words can change that (certain tones may change "frequencies"), but these words can be also used as a tool to manipulate and control others, while certain music (like Mozart, doh!)is antidote (it brings all humans at the the same "frequency") and can unify whole mankind on subconscious level (add there that inane social commentary part) It's perhaps interesting, but no need for some extra intelligence to realize how naïve and flawed this "theory" is. However, this "theory" is not the issue, but lack of content around that idea in the movie.
At this point, Frequencies enters New-Ageisms (Scientology?) and perhaps cyber occultism? Like a magic formulas, some meaningless words are used to manipulate people and get them instantly act. There are digital devices who generate these "magic" words. Meh, come on! The way these ideas got executed in the plot is absolutely lazy, random and stupid. Good science fiction IS based on science, but this is just childish "futuristic" fiction. There is even some device with video transmission of future events, another idea thrown in the plot for no actual reason? Oh, my
On top of all, the most horrid side are tendencies at artistic and even avant-garde. There's numerous flaws in plot, atmosphere and even acting, yet whole package fools out with faux "unconventionality". Frequencies pretends to be intelligent, but ends as mumbo jumbo. It tries as artistic movie, but ends as arty-farty one. It's often suggested as atmospheric, "visual" movie. Well, camera is classy, but it's still far from good atmospheric movie. Lynch's Eraserhead or Tarkovsky's Stalker are examples of atmospheric masterpieces - where actual story was secondary, moving at very slow pace, while visual side was primary. That sometimes seems to be the case with Frequencies. It's visually strong but only in technical terms, because unlike these two movies it cannot express anything emotional or captivating. While it's story is not that buried, it also moves in much faster pace. But, clocking at 100 minutes, Frequencies looks long-winded, like there is about 30 minutes more than needed.
So finally, the movie just died under all that mess. Near the end, I simply started to ask - what's the damn point of all this? Seems that directors were also aware that it got lost along the way. Even the closing scene with two main characters clearly ends in that fashion. Frequencies is nothing but superficial effort to be extraordinary, original, smart, artistic. Result is pretentious and faceless movie. It's blueprint of all wrong in modern art - made out of boredom, with desire to impress but nothing to express.