At this time this short has a solid 5.0 rating. I have to agree. One should be prepared for another no-ending short, but this is moderately well-done.
It is very slow moving and without resolution-- somewhat of a slice-of-life movie. Aliens offer humans freedom from disease and 200 year lifespan-- if they take a drug, join the aliens and allow them to rule Earth in a (as far as humans know) benevolent manner. But is it benevolent "tough love" on their part, or subtle tyranny? That's the question of the story.
The acting is decent . The father does a fine job in presenting all aspects of his multi-faceted character. The "ending" is interesting, but will definitely leave the viewer hoping this is the first of a series of films-- and that the follow ups don't take too long in being made. There are two other listings under "Chryzinium" on IMDB, so one can hope.
If there are no sequels intended or no follow-through, then this is basically a "search into yourself" semi-morality play. What would you do if given the choice between self-governance or healthy, expanded life at the loss of some freedoms.
What the film doesn't touch on (but is very much a point) is the question: just how "free" are we now? Is the current state of mankind a good one? Are we managing the planet properly, free of excessive control, all honey and roses? Or could the aliens possibly do a better job and are merely trying to keep us from destroying a rather nice planet?
None of these things are even touched on in the film, but rather are left wide-open to viewer conjecture. As such, it's a job of non-storytelling. Some people like that kind of presentation, but as seen in the reviews most don't. Anyone can ask a poignant question; the story-teller's job is to answer in an entertaining / thought provoking manner (at least to an extent).
I really did like the final line of the movie. It was intriguing, well-stated, and paved the way for future films. But overall the presentation was just mildly interesting-- leaving one to believe the "good stuff" must be coming. As a full-length film this would be a decent lead-in (if a bit slow). This is a 15-minute story done in half an hour. There are unnecessarily-long segments, but they provide the viewer a moment to think about what is going on, to let it sink in. As such, the film is *almost* good. We just need a bit more... and a bit more. : )
