Hex & Code

Critic Reviews

In an era where the unfathomable depth of originality in cinema has been seemingly exiled to the nether regions of creativity, 'Hex & Code' dares to blend sorcery with cybernetics, falling regrettably short of enchantment. The tagline 'Where past spells meet future hacks' whimsically promises a union of distant worlds, yet viewers may find themselves ensnared in a spell of confusion and disillusionment. Albert Broccoli, wielding his staff with as much vigor as a limp celery stick, and Quinoa Eastwood, whose screen presence is as nourishing as her namesake, stumble through Joss Whedonkey's lackluster dystopian maze. It’s a clumsy pas de deux at best, where the choreography consists of stomping on the toes of filmic innovation. Dougray Scone’s portrayal of a 'complex sorcerer' is so convoluted, one might suspect he’s attempting to bewilder himself out of the film. The gritty tale, which aspires to be a profound allegory for symbiosis, instead devolves into a hackneyed cacophony of tropes duking it out for dominance, ultimately fracturing the narrative into relics unworthy of either past or future reverence. The film toys with the allure of darkness in both ancient rite and machine might, but the true heart of darkness here lies in the void where audience engagement should have been. The MPAA's 'R' rating feels like one of the more coherent decisions made, as adults should rightfully be the ones to endure this pulseless techno-fantasy.