"AFK_" Written and Directed by Tyler Hynes
"AFK_" is a slightly cheesy, slightly cliché cyberpunk short film in the same vein as AMC's Mr. Robot. Like, Mr. Robot, Tyler Hynes’ "AFK_"
is a short about an
anti-hero out to change the world via an internet connection. Though it doesn't rise to the high bar set by Mr. Robot, the film boasts outstanding
production values and an action-packed, globe-spanning plot almost too big to be contained in its tightly-packed fifteen minute run-time.
Jumping between China and Iran and Sweden, "AFK_" features big-budget set ups tailored for the sort of dark thriller you'd expect from David Fincher, but the dialog and trite story conventions wind up just a little over the top. That doesn't diminish from the pleasure of watching the piece, though. In fact, had this film been set in a time period about a decade back, the kitsch might have lent this short film the feel of a feature film trailer.
As is only fitting for a film about hackers, Hynes opted to release his opus online, rather than taking a lap on the festival circuit. We sincerely hope that means we'll be seeing more from this cinematic universe in the future, because this would just about be the world's greatest web series.
Jumping between China and Iran and Sweden, "AFK_" features big-budget set ups tailored for the sort of dark thriller you'd expect from David Fincher, but the dialog and trite story conventions wind up just a little over the top. That doesn't diminish from the pleasure of watching the piece, though. In fact, had this film been set in a time period about a decade back, the kitsch might have lent this short film the feel of a feature film trailer.
As is only fitting for a film about hackers, Hynes opted to release his opus online, rather than taking a lap on the festival circuit. We sincerely hope that means we'll be seeing more from this cinematic universe in the future, because this would just about be the world's greatest web series.
"In the world of Cyberspace and Cyberwar, what is right and what is wrong is still up for debate. What would you sacrifice?"
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