In the disturbing near-future of the sci-fi short film I.R.I.S., anxiety over the rise in terrorism and violence across the world has led the United States and NATO to adopt a revolutionary global surveillance system. The “Integrated Recognition and Internal Surveillance” program (I.R.I.S.) is an artificial intelligence responsible for a network of over 3,000 highly-advanced, weaponized drones
The program’s prime directive is to maintain global security using these drones, and intervene whenever violence threatens to disrupt law and order. Unfortunately, something goes very wrong at an I.R.I.S. installation in Greenland. The artificial intelligence controlling the drones has become self-aware, and now the entire world is in grave danger.
Even though I.R.I.S. was released over two years ago, its dystopian vision of the future is even more chillingly prescient now, considering the current political climate here in the United States, as well as the alarming rise of extreme nationalism and xenophobia in other parts of the world.
Filmmaker and visual effects artist Hasraf “Haz” Dulull has crafted a well-deserved reputation in the independent film world for creating stunning short genre films that tackle heady themes. Dulull’s talents are on full display in I.R.I.S., as the short features a very timely narrative and dynamic action sequences punctuated by sleek, cutting-edge visual effects.
The result is a totally engrossing and stylish cautionary tale about the insidious threat of fascism, and technology run amok.
Watch I.R.I.S. here on Recursor.
Film reviewer Rod T. Faulkner is the founder of The7thMatrix.com, a website dedicated to promoting the best genre web series and short films. He also is the author of 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films, a compilation of exceptional SF&F short films.