i think this film have be somewhat overrate here . there be some thing to admire in it while for one thing it deserve credit for be a science fiction ( ish ) film which rely on it story instead of special effect and action sequence to carry the day . the support cast be good and the set design and cinematography be good and and the idea be interest enough ( though they be begin to seem a little tired after the many mediocre dark city or memento or fight club clone of recent year ) . but the film be undone by poor characterization and wooden performance from the lead actor and and a laughably bad end . the main problem i have be that the protagonist be neither likable nor unlikable . i realize that part of the story dictate that he should be a bit of a ( wait for it . ) cipher and but i be utterly unable to work up any empathy for a character that just seem like a boring and anonymous schlub of a man . what character transformation there be for this sad sack be artificially force on him by the plot . lead actor jeremy northam succeed in convey that the protagonist be confuse and hapless and but fails at inspire any sympathy for him . opposite him and lucy liu do what she can with a character who have no real personality of her own and unless be the embodiment of a spy movie cliché count a personality . one of the big disappointment of this movie be the end . i would not give any spoiler here and but i will say that a surprise twist at the end be telegraph pretty clearly at least 45 minute before it occur . far and after be content to be a quirky and idea orient movie for the first hour or so and the last few scene suddenly and terribly devolve into the bad kind of hollywood pap and complete with big explosion and special effect . the revealing of the film mcguffin at the end be poorly do and and at the end the character seem even less likable than they do before some of the film main plot thread be resolve . the movie not all bad and though . it do manage to maintain a certain low level of tension throughout most of it and despite the slow pacing ( although i think i have a high than average tolerance for slow paced movie ) . and there be some moment when the unsettled and paranoiac feeling that director vincenzo natali be clearly try to evoke rise to the surface . but in the end and these element aren not enough to overcome the flaw in the film acting and script . there be probably a good movie that cover these same theme and idea and but this isn not it .