Vesper (2022)

“The world is broken, but life finds a way to adapt.”<br />That’s the quiet heartbeat of Kristina Buožytė and Bruno Samper’s Vesper (2022) — a haunting, beautifully crafted sci-fi film that trades explosions and spectacle for intimacy, ecology, and survival.

Set in a distant future where Earth’s ecosystem has collapsed and synthetic organisms dominate, Vesper follows a brilliant, self-taught teenage biohacker named Vesper (Raffiella Chapman) who struggles to survive with her paralyzed father (voiced by Richard Brake). The remnants of civilization exist in elite citadels, while those outside — like Vesper — scavenge and experiment in the toxic wasteland.

When Vesper discovers a mysterious woman from the citadels crashed in the woods, her world shifts. What begins as a story of survival evolves into a meditation on hope, manipulation, and moral compromise in a world stripped of innocence.

The film’s production design is extraordinary — a fusion of decaying biotech and natural decay that feels tactile and real. The mossy forests, hybrid organisms, and bioluminescent spores give the film an eerie, almost spiritual tone. The directors use minimal CGI and practical effects to create a world that feels grown rather than built.

Raffiella Chapman’s performance is stunningly grounded. Her Vesper is not the chosen one or a soldier — she’s an ordinary girl with a scientist’s mind and a survivor’s heart. Her quiet resilience resonates deeply, especially with adult viewers who crave sci-fi that feels human again.

Vesper is slow, deliberate, and sometimes somber, but it rewards patience. It’s sci-fi as reflection, not escapism — asking what humanity becomes when progress devours compassion. The ending lingers like an unanswered question, one that echoes long after the credits fade: can we still nurture life in a world built to consume it?

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) — A visually stunning and emotionally intelligent vision of a broken future, led by one of the most empathetic heroines in recent sci-fi.