The Pod Generation takes place in a near future where all human experiences are commodified and mediated by technology. Instead of taking a break from work by stepping outside to get some fresh air, people purchase time at nature pods where they breathe in oxygen from imported plants sealed in glass containers. Similarly, there are no more human therapists with society opting for mental health help from artificial intelligence. Like any good science fiction, it sounds like the logical next step to our own world where humanity has left nature in favor of private companies, smart technology and AI.
The story centers around Rachel (Emilia Clarke) and Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a couple who have differing relationships with technology. Alvy is a botanist, a profession that is neither profitable nor respected. And although we never fully understand Rachel’s occupation, which has to do with some combination of celebrity social media and AI home technology, she is career-driven and embraces technological advances. “We can’t live in the past,” she tells Alvy. “Things are evolving!” The couple want a child, prompting Rachel to sign up for the Womb Center, which makes babies artificially in egg-like pods. However, she does so without informing Alvy, who wants to have a “natural” pregnancy. In this future, mothers no longer have to carry their babies to term if they have the money to pay for the service. Rachel’s company helps with the down payment because they “want to retain the best and brightest women.” It’s a fascinating setup that explores a couple’s struggles to reconcile their differences and communicate with each other about how to best start a family.
The film is packed with intriguing ideas, but it falters in its execution. Writer-director Sophie Barthes resolves the main conflict early on with Alvy suddenly and inexplicably enjoying his time spent with the pod, going as far as bringing it to work every day. The rest of the story follows Rachel as she wonders about having a natural birth and the couple as they acclimatize to their new lives with the pod.
Frustratingly, Barthes hints at larger questions about the world but has little to no interest in digging deeper. One revolves around the idea of female bodily autonomy and its largely exclusive availability to women with wealth. As an alternative to “natural” pregnancy, the pods can signify surrogacy, which some argue turns women’s bodies into commodities and is coercive toward poor women. There are also vague references to complex topics like privatized education and Silicon Valley work culture. As a result, The Pod Generation is more interesting when reflecting afterward on the issues it raises through its concept rather than the film itself.
Perhaps more damaging is the film’s constantly shifting tone, which fluctuates between light humor, a sense of foreboding and attempts at satire. It’s inconsistent to the point that it becomes difficult to discern the purpose and reasoning behind many of the characters’ choices. Toward the end, the film transforms into more of a thriller when Rachel and Alvy come at odds with the Womb Center’s director (Rosalie Craig). The resulting whiplash makes the story beats feel random and rushed despite its slow-moving plot. Ultimately, The Pod Generation disappoints by failing to fully realize the ideas it introduces and the world it creates.
Photo courtesy of Vertical/Roadside Attractions
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