THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT
Canada, 2018, 111 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Eisenberg, Alexander Skarsgaard, Salma Hayek, Michael Mando, Johan Heldenberch, Auisha Issa, Sarah Goldberg, Frank Schorpion.
Directed by Kim Nguyen.
At an ambitious moment in this film, two cousins, working on communication of data by fibre to get information to finance deals in increasingly brief time, discuss miliseconds and the flapping of a hummingbird’s wings.
The project in the title concerns the laying of fibre, from Kansas direct to New York, to get information to Wall Street, as rapidly as possible. The idea is from a young entrepreneur who works in IT and finance, Vincent (Jesse Eisenberg once again in one of his nervous and edgy roles). He persuades his rather nerdy cousin, Anton (Alexander Skarsgaard almost unrecognisable, bald, stooped, heavier in weight, bespectacled) who works with his computers and algorithms – non-stop.
The initial difficulty is to persuade a finance company to support the project. This is done (although supplementary grants have to be made during the working on the project). There is surveillance of the territory of the direct line to New York, involving burrowing through different terrains, discussions with householders so that they can go under the house, the issue of rivers and lakes, the enormous barriers of mountain rock, the rights to parkland and wilderness, even and encounter with the Amish who are quite unwilling to give permission. There is also the energy that has to be put into planning, engineering, the hiring of experts, the importing of specialist machinery. Rather exhausting in its way.
One of the great barriers to this project is the cousin’s former boss, (a dominating an aggressive performance by Salma Hayek) who also has the financial resources, the determination, the ingenuity to thwart the project.
But, the film is also a portrait of the two men. Vincent is intense, determined, ruthless in his own way, certainly dominating Anton. Anton, on the other hand, enthusiastic about the project, dreaming that it will enable him to find a home for himself and his family, works night and day at his computer, trying to achieve what seems the impossible for the fibre speed.
The film certainly shows the risk dangers in such projects – as well as the unexpected, Vincent having to cope with more than he ever realised, making him more determined. By the end, he is ragingly racing towards one of the towers that Eva has set up in rivalry, almost out of his mind trying to destroy it.
The theme is certainly topical, the picture of our contemporary world, relying on technology and its continued demands and developments, the repercussions on the world of finance and of ambitions and greed. But it is also a reminder that there is such a thing as luck, as bad luck, that can thwart even the most well-prepared projects.
1. The title? The flapping of the hummingbird’s wings and the brief time? The IT application? The ambition of the project of laying the fibre?
2. Contemporary issues, research, development, IT projects, business enterprise, financial issues, contemporary technology and experimentation, personal ambition? Engineering, finance, the credibility of the enterprise, the politics involved, the exercise of power?
3. The themes of risk, luck, circumstances, unanticipated developments?
4. The project, from cancers to New York? The line, straight-line, underground, short depth underground, the challenges of the two rain, homes, properties, water, mountains?
5. The aim of the project – and the lessening of time by Millie second?
6. Vincent, his age, character, his career, in technology, hopes and ambitions? Talking finance? The company, the bosses, listening, wanting reassurances? Vincent and his confidence?
7. Anton, cousin, persuaded to leave his employment, the clash with the boss, opportunities, his being hustled by Vincent, his love of research,, his appearance, nerdy, walking out on the consequences, his wife and family, his privacy, his dream house on the hill, the tests, results, his continuously working at his desk? With Vincent, Vincent’s pressures? The legal issues, the pursuing of Anton, literally his being chased by the authorities, his arrest, his interrogations, in prison, deals?
8. Eva, the boss, her assistant, powerful woman, exercising pressure on Anton? Her dislike of Vincent? Uncovering the plan, building towers, trying to waylay the process?
9. Vincent, intense, fast talking, hustling, with the financiers, returning to them to ask for more money, their suspicions? His going to the doctor, his illness, the diagnosis, the limited time to live? His going into action, pushing, the negotiations with engineers, discussions with Mark, the experts coming in, the hiring of the machinery? Dealing with ordinary people and their houses, companies, properties and rights under the mountains, the clashes with the Amish family? The Amish not interested in the project, and their spirituality behind this?
10. The presentation of the Amish, issues of machines, God’s providence, Vincent and Anton later visiting, the helping with the stacking of the crops? Vincent’s apology?
11. Eva, her visits, the confrontations with Vincent, the towers, the confrontation, issues of law?
12. Vincent and his engineer, Mark, loyalty, and his character, the deals, the prospects, the planning, the difficulties but following through? Especially in the forest? Vincent collapsing as he ran towards the tower to destroy the tower?
13. Vincent with the financiers, their threats, disowning him as a fraud?
14. The range of supervisors, the machines and importation, their expertise, expenses?
15. Vincent, his drive, his illness, his death?
16. Success and failure?
