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‘Imperial Blue’ Review – An Unforgiving, Drug-induced Tale of Good versus Evil

By Dom Fisher
March 4, 2021
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Synopsis:

Imperial Blue is an adventure-thriller set across three continents. The main action takes place in East Africa and revolves around a mystical substance called Bulu – a rare and sacred powder said to bestow the power of prophecy.

There’s a fine line between patronage and exploitation. When that line begins to blur, all parties involved are at risk. Everything comes at a cost and if you are willing to take advantage of others, disregarding ethical or dangerous implications, don’t be surprised if the decision comes back to haunt you. You reap what you sow.

Dan Moss’s psychedelic drama, Imperial Blue is an unforgiving, drug-induced tale of good versus evil. With the look and feel of a 90s crime drama, the low-budget indie film piques interest from the very beginning. It shows flashes of a thriller-like pace within the first ten minutes, unfortunately, the film does slow down. Nevertheless, once the film finds its footing, there are some things that really make it pop. The presence of light versus dark is prevalent throughout, from the two sisters that our central character encounters to the struggles of right and wrong that rears its head on multiple occasions. There’s also some social commentary on foreigners coming to Africa to exploit its resources and endanger its people. It’s commentary that shouldn’t be new, but as history begins to be watered down, this serves as a decent allegory. The film did begin to feel a bit slow in the middle but it gave me time to realize that I did not care for Hugo or his desperation. However, I did enjoy the performances and dynamic between Kisakye and Angela. Like a coral snake and a milk snake to Hugo’s mouse, both may bite you but one bite is venomous while the other isn’t. The sisters move through the story offering Hugo two different means to an end but greed and hubris will always be a downfall. I really enjoyed the aesthetics, it was almost refreshing, it felt almost nostalgic. At times the film can be brutal, as you would expect in this type of story and rightly so in some instances. It may not have broad appeal but I believe there is a huge crowd that will love this film. Its rewatchability is medium.

Plot & Pace

After experiencing a hallucinogenic blue drug called Bulu with mystical foresight properties, Hugo, a drug smuggler, sees the drug as a way out of trouble. During his high, Hugo sees into his future and realizes he must go to Uganda to find the rare drug and a mysterious young woman that will lead him to it. Once he arrives he is seduced by the country as well as the drug itself, as he continues to partake in his little baggie. Once he finally stumbles upon his mystery woman, Kisakye, he also meets her sister, Angela. Kisakye is led by her faith and only wants to protect her land from a fraudulent preacher. On the other hand, her sister is motivated by greed and will go to any lengths to get what she wants. Drawn to one and hypnotized by the other, with the drug as his guide, Hugo must carefully navigate his way to what he came for because the wrong decision could result in death. Is Bulu showing him the path to solve his problems or ultimately his demise?

The film initially feels as if it’s going to be a fast-paced thriller but it quickly slows down and becomes much more thoughtful.

Characters & Chemistry

When it came to chemistry in this film, there were no better than Kisakye (Esteri Tebandekeand) and Angela (Rehema Nanfuka). The love-hate relationship they have with one another made this story very interesting. And their performances anchored the film. The chemistry that Kisakye has with Hugo (Nicolas Fagerberg) may have been cute at times but the closeness of their relationship felt unwarranted and appeared out of thin air. Now, Hugo’s relationship with Angela is a bit more interesting. It’s full of deceit, desire, and anger.

Imperial Blue is now available digitally on all major platforms. Stay safe and enjoy.