THE Flying Fish, written, directed, produced, and scored by Murat Sayginer (with additional music from Jochen Mader and Onur Tarcin), fuses a number of Sayginer’s previous short films together. These related and interconnected shorts explore the human condition through a series of psychedelic journeys accompanied by the perfect score for such a voyage. The only thing missing, and some would say this is no small omission, is a consistent standard of quality across the film’s various settings.
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The broad phrase: “human condition,” suits The Flying Fish precisely because of its extensive nature. Sayginer tackles concepts of corporations as new gods (with religious Mickey Mouse iconography to boot), Earth’s role in shaping man, militarism, and death. The imagery and symbolism accompanying these themes wildly vary in terms of quality. Some of the early shorts in particular have stunningly gorgeous animations and renders. However, as the film progresses more and more bargain bin material makes its way into the work. Passing references to the Illuminati and Stone Masons, a Matrix red and blue pill homage, and other tossed in “spooky symbols” serve to detract from the core message and beauty of The Flying Fish.
Low-quality character models also make an appearance in a few of the shorts. They may still function thematically but the film would greatly benefit from some added polish. A weird dynamic emerges when watching an extremely poignant scene about the nature of death and the visuals resemble a PlayStation 2 era loading screen.
While truly thought provoking and enchanting at times, The Flying Fish requires more polish and consistency. Low-quality character models stick out and Sayginer seems to use some symbols merely because of their notoriety. As it stands, The Flying Fish serves as a journey to experience, but just once.
