Sci-Fi Genre's Biggest Hidden Gem Is This Drama Inspired by '2001: A Space Odyssey'

Shane Carruth's work is criminally rare – he has only made two movies, Primer and Upstream Color, both of which are considered iconic.

Carruth is one of Kubrick's most extraordinary disciples – an enigmatic filmmaker whose work can be analyzed for weeks without fully grasping all of its intricacies.

His second feature, Upstream Color, is a smart sci-fi work unhampered by budgetary constraints.

What Is 'Upstream Color' About?

One night, an ordinary office worker named Kris is attacked. The thief hypnotizes her with a strange larva that suppresses the host's will once inside and allows the thief to manipulate her.

Kris signs over all her property to the thief, takes out loans, and is left penniless. The thief abandons her, but a mysterious stranger helps remove the parasite that has grown inside her through a fortunate turn of events.

When Kris wakes up, she finds her life in ruins, leaving only emptiness inside. Several years later, she meets Jeff, a man to whom she feels an odd, almost mystical attraction.

'Upstream Color' Deeply Explores Identity & Will, as Well as the Consequences of Suppressing Them

At its core, Upstream Color is less a sci-fi story than a meditation on free will and self-identity. The larva that the thief implants in Kris is not just a plot device, it is also a metaphor for external control that robs a person of their ability to make decisions independently.

Carruth illustrates the consequences of suppressed will and the difficulty of rebuilding oneself after such violence.

The director employs an unconventional narrative in which many plot connections are only hinted at and not explicitly stated. This is a movie that compels viewers to empathize yet provides few answers.

The seemingly simple story of a victim of fraud unfolds into a multilayered exploration of the interconnectedness of all living things: people, pigs, orchids, and the strange worms that spin their invisible web.

'Upstream Color' Is a True Low-Budget Masterpiece

As with his debut film, Primer, which he financed himself, Carruth proves that smart cinema doesn't require millions of dollars. Upstream Color is a science fiction masterpiece where the focus is on ideas and emotions, not special effects.

The intended meanings of the film aren't as important as the experience and feelings viewers have while watching it – it's an unforgettable work, but very difficult to retell.

This is precisely what makes it so appreciated – its Kubrickian depth and its ability to ask questions that have no easy answers.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Upstream Color'?

• Upstream Color has 87% from critics and 69% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.5/10.

• On Letterboxd, Upstream Color scored 3.6/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Upstream Color'?

Upstream Color is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video.