In 'Bokeh', Everyone on Earth Mysteriously Vanishes Except for a Couple Vacationing in Iceland

A couple (Matt O’Leary and Maika Monroe) goes to Iceland for a romantic vacation.  After a strange flash of light shoots across the solstice sky, everyone in the world mysteriously disappears except for the two of them.  This is the intriguing premise of Bokeh.  When I read a brief synopsis detailing this, I was immediately keen of watching this movie.

One of the things that helped in making me “connect” to the movie is that the characters almost always perform a particular action as soon as I thought what to do in that situation.  Like, if I woke up one day discovering that all people on Earth had suddenly vanished, I would immediately check the Internet, and they did that (though not as “immediately” as I would have done).  Also, I would contemplate if what had happened was the Rapture and I had been wrong all along in my unbelief of it (I don’t believe in the Rapture – or, at least, its meaning with regards to the context of the so-called “Great Tribulation”), and one of them immediately mentions the Rapture.  And, most importantly, I would make the best of the situation – i.e. have fun, explore, free stuff, free food, etc. – which, of course, the characters did.

On the other hand, there are also some instances where the characters did things which I would have easily recognized as stupid.  Example, there’s a scene where one of the characters decided to ride an elevator.  It was still functioning, but I wouldn’t have risked riding it due to the possibility of it breaking down with no one around to help me.  Though the character did realize this, it was only when he was already in it, resulting to a minor panic attack.

Nevertheless, Bokeh is at its most engaging when the narrative focuses on the couple navigating their brave new world and establishing a new life together.  In addition, it presents some fascinating insights about the scenario they’re in.  Indeed, the thought of being with your significant other and having the world for yourselves seems romantic and exciting.  At the very least, you won’t be lonely in such a situation.  But the movie interestingly challenges this notion.  It’s also possible that love isn’t enough for both of you to go through this; your different worldviews might gradually hinder you from getting on the same page.

Unfortunately, the movie also gets eventually boring when it stresses on philosophical and existential insights.

Still, though Bokeh isn’t as completely riveting as I hoped it would be, I still think it’s interesting enough.