April X falters as a missing-twin thriller amid trafficking plot

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April X falters as a missing-twin thriller amid trafficking plot

The Guardian · 2 hours ago

The film April X is a sci-fi thriller set in a dystopian future city that follows twins Baxter and April as they navigate criminal underworld dealings. When April goes missing and is subsequently discovered to have been cloned into sex workers, the narrative becomes an uncomfortable exploration of human trafficking and exploitation. The Guardian's review is scathing, criticising the film for handling this serious subject matter in an increasingly exploitative and sensationalist manner.

The film stars Connor Storrie (from Heated Rivalry) and Lilly Krug, with most of the production shot in Bucharest. The story incorporates "dream-tech"—where April sells downloads of her recorded dreams—a concept borrowed from 1990s films such as Strange Days and Until the End of the World. The reviewer condemns the film's sloppy execution, heavy reliance on recycled ideas from other movies, and its deeply uncomfortable final act, which seemingly wants audiences to be simultaneously repulsed and titillated by its depiction of sexual exploitation. April X releases in UK and Irish cinemas from 2 October.

  • Sci-fi thriller about cloned twins trapped in human trafficking
  • Borrows heavily from other films, increasingly exploitative in execution
  • Strong performance from Storrie cannot salvage weak material

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Originally published by The Guardian as “April X review – Connor Storrie searches for missing twin in dystopian dream-tech sci-fi thriller”.