:: Khyron's The K-Files ::

Review: Science of Soul

Written by John J Harper
Directed by Philip Gardiner
Narrated by Steve Mitchell
Produced by Reality Entertainment Films (www.reality-entertainment.com)
Running Time: 60 minutes+
Format: DVD

With the recent activation of the Large Hadron Collider, 2012 End-Times paranoia has seeped its way back into the mainstream. As luck would have it, scientists believe that the full effects of the LHC will not be realized until four years after the experiment--coinciding almost too perfectly with the end of the Mayan calendar.

Yet for every prophecy of cataclysm, there is another--more optimistic--one that predicts the beginning of a new age of human enlightenment. This is the basis of John J Harper and Philip Gardiner's Science of Soul.

As we find ourselves stuck in a loop of death and rebirth, could the key to surviving 2012 and breaking the cycle be as simple as opening our minds to the world around us?

Content

The greatest strength of documentary films as a medium for conveying information is that a director can simultaneously tell and show the viewer his facts and opinions. In this regard, I see no point in Science of Soul - The End-Time Solar Cycle of Chaos in 2012 A.D. being made into a documentary. This film contains a fundamental disconnect between what the narration is saying and what images are displayed on-screen.

Science of Soul contains three distinct parts: John J Harper's script, the music of Celtic rockers Soul Path, and a swirling array of stock visual effects...and at no point do they ever seem to truly match up.

As the film opens, you'll be greeted with nearly six minutes of music and outer-space visuals before any narration begins. It then movies right into the Axis Mundi, or "world axis," concept and how it relates to the double helix of human DNA. Harper goes so far as to suggest that because DNA is responsible for our conscious brains, it too may have consciousness. From here, the focus turns to shamanism, and how humans can tap into upper level wave forms by way of personal crisis or near-death experiences.

The information presented up until this point is often interesting, only I wish there was useful imagery to go along with it. For the most part, the visuals in these scenes are limited to shots of religious and medieval artwork spiced up with transition and visualization effects. This further exemplifies the disconnect between the narration and visuals, leaving me feeling that the latter was an afterthought of the former.

At the 26 minute mark, the film finally jumps into 2012 discussion. In short, Harper believes that we are at the end of a cycle of human consciousness, and that if we don't follow the way of the shaman and unlock our "third eye," we will be doomed to start the next cycle as unenlightened beings. He warns that we have until 2012 to shape up and learn to love our neighbors as we would ourselves...which is to say, we're screwed.

What Science of Soul boils down to is a collection of author John J Harper's theories and beliefs on the nature of human existence, with only a small portion focusing on the specifics of what to expect in four years. Before considering a purchase, it would be prudent of you to first do research on the works of John J Harper--as anyone looking for a more scientific or factual look at the end of the Mayan calendar will find themselves disappointed by the film's heavy (and often complicating) New Age influence.

DVD

Buyer beware, there may be serious issues regarding the quality of this production. Your experience may vary, but the title menu system on my review copy suffers from a glitch that causes the screen to go black after only a few seconds. As far as I can tell, it stems from a problem with the background animation. Every time the animation is completed, the screen blacks out for a moment before repeating. One could simply hit Play immediately to bypass this issue, but it makes using the barebones scene selection feature a chore. At the price being asked for this DVD, it fails to meet an adequate level of quality assurance.

Furthermore, I found the sound levels to be unbalanced at certain points. I was either turning up the volume to hear the occasionally muffled narration, or turning it down due to unnecessarily loud musical segments.

Final Thoughts

Often coming off as long-winded, I feel Science of Soul - The End-Time Solar Cycle of Chaos in 2012 A.D is about 20 minutes too long. If you're a true subscriber to New Age beliefs, it may fill in a few gaps for you, but for the rest of us, you'll find yourself lost in a sea of concepts and unfamiliar terminology.

Also, I feel the content may have been better suited as an audio-only piece.

Ratings

Information: C-
Editing: D
Audio/Video: C
Special Features: F

Overall (not an average): D+

~Khyron, 2008