Trying to sum up director Carlo S. Hintermann’s The Book of Vision is nigh-on impossible, but that comes with the territory when you’re dealing with an existential psychological nightmare that becomes increasingly complex and open to interpretation as the story wears on.
Mysterious, spiritual, and even self-indulgent at points, the film is absolutely the creation of a filmmaker with a singular approach to the material, but that in itself opens the door to division. Streaming subscribers are willing to take the plunge, though, seeing as FlixPatrol has unveiled the one-of-a-kind mind-melter as a top-viewed title on the Chili platform.
Opening in the present, Lotte Verbeek’s Eva gives up her promising career as a doctor to instead dive deep into the history of medicine, seeking to find the answers to the toughest questions to have stumped the greatest minds in the field for hundreds of years. Naturally, it doesn’t take too long for things to get gnarly, with Charles Dance’s 18th Century physician acting as the catalyst for all sorts of weird and wonderful developments.
As you’d expect given that rationalism, animism, the futility of existence, and all kinds of psychedelic imagery are all in play simultaneously, The Book of Vision has proven itself to be a polarizing experience. There’s nothing quite like it, although your mileage may vary as to whether that’s a good or a bad thing depending entirely on taste, personal preference, and penchant for unabashed weirdness.
Each to their own, but for the on-demand crowd at the very least, The Book of Vision has proven a worthwhile watch.
