I have always liked David Cronenberg, but his movies are often hit or miss. He’s a great idea man, and he’s a great filmmaker. He’s not always the greatest storyteller. 

The Shrouds is about a man named Karsh (Vincent Cassel) who is still dealing with grief from the death of his wife. The movie is set in the near future where technology lets people bury their dead loved ones in an electronic “shroud” suit that allows the surviving family to view the corpse in full 3D imaging any time they want. They also have AI virtual assistants that they can build to take on the persona/likeness of dead people.

I liked some of the ideas presented regarding death, grief, and technology. It’s fascinating to see some of the strange worlds that Cronenberg can conjure forth into film. The problem is that there needs to be a story with hooks and characters that matter. Though, I am starting to get the sense that maybe the dry, emotionless worlds are closer to the present day than Cronenberg would want us to believe.

Rating: