Vesper (2022) - full transcript

After the collapse of Earth's ecosystem, Vesper, a 13-year-old girl struggling to survive with her paralyzed father, meets a woman with a secret who will force her to use her wits, strengths and bio-hacking abilities to fight for ...

Ah! It's hot.

Why such a hurry?

I'm going to the old lab.

Ugh... I hate this place.

Careful up here.

Look what I found.

Enough Vesper,
my battery is low.

Nobody forced you to come.

You should have stayed home
to charge.

You're wasting our time
on these experiments.

Don't worry.



It won't hurt.

Thank you.

Wait here.

It's just a pilgrim.
Come on.

- I think it's a "she".
- Leave it.

One day, I'd like to follow one,

find out where
they're taking all that junk.

Don't.
They just wander until they die.

How do you know
they never come home?

Everyone knows it.

How could anyone know
about all of them?

Vesper.
She's not coming back.

Is there anyone in there
with you?

I think they're gone.



I don't hear anything.

Vesper, the tank!

The power!

Get the back up from the fridge.

I took it out...

I needed space
for my cell cultures.

I'll go to Jonas.

Who is in charge?

Who is in charge?

Me...

But they didn't attach the po...

The Jug was your responsibility.

Now put the poor creature
out of its misery.

It's not human.

It won't feel a thing.

It was made in a lab.

That Jug might have cost you
a fortune. What a waste.

- What brings you, Vesper?
- You know.

How would I? You're holed up
in that shack with my brother.

Someone sabotaged our generator.

Is that so?

What a world.

All our bacteria's gone.

We have no power.

Il you know we can't do charity.

I'm not asking for any.

Believe me, we work for it.

Family has to stick together
to survive out here,

especially with the Citadel
raising the price of seeds.

Fortunately,
we have what they want.

Skinny!

Look who's come to see us.

Your blood won't be young
for ever.

Shame to waste it all
on emergencies like this.

But of course,

living alone as you do,

you're lucky
it hasn't been worse.

Pilgrims, drifters, bandits...

They come to your door,

and it can all end in tragedy.

You'd be safer here.

What about my father?

We would take care of him.

It's not his fault
your mother left.

You'd both be more comfortable,

especially during the winter.

You remind me so much
of your mother.

I hope you're not afraid of me?

I'm not going to become just
another one of your breeders.

You say it
like it's a dirty word.

Think you're better
than everyone?

I have skills.

I taught myself.

And one day I'll get out.

But you...

You'll still be here,

sucking your kids' blood
to trade for seeds.

My ambitious little girl.

You know we are so alike,
you and I.

Because we won't let this world
of shit crush us, will we?

But don't think you can change
the order of things.

Take every opportunity
as it comes to you.

Can I have my bacteria now?

You'll have to come back
in two days' time.

I need to sell your blood
to the Citadel, first.

You know Papa won't survive
that long without energy.

I wish I had some more to spare.

No!

No!

No! No!

You won't be mad anymore
when you see what I got.

What is this?
Where did you get that?

- Jonas gave me.
- For what?

- What did you do to get them?
- Nothing.

I just took them.

Put them back before he notices.

No.

They're mine,
and I'm going to unlock them.

- Make them fertile.
- You know that's not possible.

Once I do, the Citadel will
want me to work in their labs.

They'll never let you
work inside.

You're just afraid
that I'll leave, like Mum!

Oh Vesper,

you don't know
the cost of dreams.

Shut up!

- Your place is here.
- Shut up!

I saw a wing-glider last night.

Maybe it crashed.

Wouldn't you want to help?
If it were you?

Dump her back
where you found her.

She's not our responsibility.

Maybe she could help us.

Oh, no...

You think she's going to take us
to the Citadel.

These people do not act
out of kindness.

What does she have to gain
by bringing you?

Maybe...

- The labs.
- Nothing.

Do you want to blow us up?

Would you prefer
that I left her there to die?

Yes!

Where is the man I was with?

You were alone.

I need to find him.

He might be injured,
our glider crashed.

Can you take me
to where you found me?

You're not going
to get very far.

Can you help me?

Can you help me?

You can go.

You can get help.
You can search for him.

We're not your servants.

Yes. Please forgive my manners.

The man is my father
and I'm scared for him.

Any help you provide
will not go unrewarded.

We have helped.

Did you call the Citadel?
Are they coming?

I don't know.

I fell from the glider
before it crashed.

- Pap.
- No!

You can't stop me.

Do what you want,
but don't come crying to me.

I'm Camellia.

Vesper.

You will not regret helping us.

You have my word.

We'll start at sunrise.

- It's not safe at night.
- Thank you.

I gave you the juiciest ones.

Thank you.

Who lives here with you?

Just... me and Pap.

The... cranky drone.

He uses it to communicate.

What happened to him?

He got hurt, serving for the...

Citadel's army.

All they gave him
was that old scrap drone.

If we brought you both
to the Citadel,

I'm sure they could help him.

Really? You...

You could do that?

Um-hum.

My father is
a very influential man.

You hear that Pap?

Pap?

Pap, Pap, Pap!

Stop!

Pap, no.

Pap! Pap! Pap!

No, stop. Stop it! Pap!

Stop, Pap.

Stop, Pap. Please. Stop!

- Please, stop.
- Keep hold of him.

He's sleeping now.

What did she do to you?

I don't know.

Can everyone
from the Citadel do that?

I don't think so.

Lucky she was there.

She's awake now.

Vesper?

I expected to find pilgrims.

This man needs help.

- Good to see you, Darius.
- Jonas.

I see you got your power back.

I found backup supply.

How fortunate.

We still owe you for that blood.

You should come and see us.

Bring me...

Bring me...

Why has no one from the Citadel
come to find you?

Camel...

Close blinds...

Lay with me.

I've always wondered...

What do you do
with my children's blood?

Do you use it
to make your own more special?

Help.

Please.

You're suffering?

- Now you know how it feels.
- No!

No! No!

No! No!

No! No!

No! Let him!

No.

No...

No. No...

Take it apart.

Salvage what's good.

What's bothering you?

Did this man
mean anything to you?

There was another passenger.

How did you find this?

We were foraging.

What, you just...
stumbled on it?

Why won't you look at me?

Because she's afraid of you!

Let's go, Vesper.

No.

You don't just leave.

Not without helping
to clean up first.

We say we didn't find anything.

Can't lie to her for ever.

Jonas is looking for her.

It would be dangerous
if she did anything rash.

We have to inform the Citadel.

Jonas is the only one
with a transceiver.

So?

You've never snuck
into his farm before?

Did you find him?

We didn't find anything.

But how...

The wing-glider couldn't have
crashed so far away.

The area is...
It's really big.

We'll go tomorrow.

We need to inform
the Citadel about the crash.

Our neighbour has a transceiver.

We'll go in the morning.

Yes.

All right.

Let's do that.

Your leg.

You've almost stopped limping.

Can I see?

You made that?

I did it for him.

To protect his open sores,
but...

It doesn't speed up
the healing process.

I didn't know people here knew
so much about synthetic biology.

The vermin have brains, too.

This is nothing.

- Come with me.
- Vesper, it's not safe.

She needs to see my work
if she takes us to the Citadel.

Let's go.

The little ones always greet me.

She likes you.

This is the first one I created.

He's sulking, because I haven't
been here for a few days.

He is not the best looking,
but...

He has character.

Like Pap.

Come on.

They're safer here,
but I hope one day,

they make their way out
into the world.

I've never seen
anything like it.

We have to show Elias.

Who?

My father.

He's the synthetic biology head,
at the Citadel.

He would love this.

I'm still learning.

The first ones
didn't even survive,

or, they killed each other.

But I'm getting closer

to the right assembly
with each generation.

I still make mistakes though.

This one should be blue
like the others.

Something must have changed
my original code.

Let's find out why you don't do
what you're supposed to.

We both know
I won't make it to the Citadel.

But the kid trusts you.
It's everything to her.

When did your mother pass away?

She's not dead.

She left us a year ago.

Followed the pilgrims.

Who are the pilgrims?

They wander in groups

with veils over their faces,
scavenging old junk.

No one knows why.

They don't talk.

Why did she follow them?

Pap said she dreamed too much.

Got sad staying here.

She...

She scribed
these beautiful songs.

When she sang,
it made me feel...

Warm.

One morning, I...

I went to her,

asking her to sing, but...

She'd lost her voice.

Two days later she was gone.

Some people say...

That it's a virus
that makes them pilgrims.

She'd never have left you
if she had a choice.

What about yours?

I never met her.

Maybe it's better like that.

Do they exist for real?

They did, a long time ago.

Is it true that
the Citadel can generate any...

- Any life form?
- Hm.

- Have you ever seen this one?
- Um-hum.

That's a cat.
They're very independent.

Does it make a sound?

Yeah.

- What about this one?
- That's an owl.

They fly and they go...

- This one?
- That's a parrot.

They repeat everything you say.

- What?
- What?

- What are you doing?
- What are you doing?

- Oh, I get it.
- Oh, I get it.

- Stop now.
- Stop now.

- Stop.
- Stop.

- Stop it. Stop it now.
- Stop it. Stop it now.

- Stop.
- Stop.

- Stop, Camellia.
- Stop, Camellia.

- Stop it. Stop it.
- Stop it. Stop it.

- Stop. Actually stop.
- Stop. Actually stop.

- Stop. Stop.
- Stop. Stop.

This is a wolf.

They travel in packs.

And they like
to howl at the moon.

Why is the Citadel so closed-off
to people like us?

If they opened its doors to all,
there'd not be enough resources.

But...

You're creating Jugs
to serve you.

We could do their work.

The Citadel likes control.

Jugs are designed to be loyal.

It wouldn't be so easy
with humans.

Hum something.

He'll be busy with them.

I'll check if it's clear.

Come on in, Vesper.

The gyroscope wasn't
working properly.

I'm fixing it for you.

What brings you two here?

Vesper.

Why are you trespassing
on my farm?

We came to get what you owe us,
for the blood.

Well there's no need
to sneak through the back.

Last time,
your kids threw rocks at me.

Things have been
a bit tense here.

A few days ago, our germinating
seeds disappeared...

Skinny was watching them.

He said that bugs took them.

Imagine?

I had to send him away
to think about that.

If you can't trust
your family...

Do you really think
bugs stole those seeds?

Hold here.

If I caught a bug stealing
from my family's stockpile,

I'd tear off his wings,

each little tiny leg.

And what about
the extra passenger?

You've seen anything?

I have lost all patience
with liars.

The drone is as good as new.

But we don't do charity here.

Are you hungry?

Can you fly?

What did he do to you?

Fly one more time.

No!

No! No!

What happened?

Vesper?

Did you contact the Citadel?

Vesper.

- Hey, just take a moment.
- No!

- Vesper!
- No.

- What if it can't be fixed?
- Of course it can.

You'll find a way.

I promise.

And then we can go
look for Elias

because I'm feeling
so much better. Hm?

He's dead.

Show me.

No, no, no!

No, no, no!

No, no, no!

You're a...

I'm a Jug, yeah.

But, I've seen a Jug before...

It wasn't like you.

He created me.

I'm different.

You can't get us
into the Citadel.

We were escaping the Citadel
when we crashed.

Creating an intelligent Jug
is a major crime.

They'd kill me.

Elias made a deal

with another Citadel
for refugee status.

You were never going to take us.

Get cleaned up. Go!

Vesper, I'm sorry.

I never felt so worthless.

Try to fly.

You can't stay here.

Jonas marked you.

He thinks you belong to him now.

We're not going anywhere, Pap.

She's a Jug.

She lied to us.

You were right.

I'm going to take her to Jonas.

Then maybe he'll go easier
on me.

Don't be too hard on her.

Jugs obey their masters.

She didn't have a choice.

Stop!

I don't exist anymore.

You don't just get to give up
when things are hard.

They're hard for all of us,

but we stay,

and we help each other.

Follow me.

Sit.

I found out why it wasn't doing
what it was supposed to.

It's met a fungus
with an orange pigment.

They joined
and made something new.

If a flower can change
its purpose,

so can you.

What?

Could I study a sample of you?

Camellia?

Camellia?

See this part here.

It keeps repeating,

but it doesn't belong
to your core DNA.

- What is it?
- It's locked.

Elias didn't tell me anything.

I used to play for Elias
when he was working,

he said
it helped him concentrate.

He was in a Citadel lab.

With their technology,
this would be easy.

You wouldn't like it
in the Citadel.

Elias used to say life there
was like a frozen river,

the surface was beautiful,

but underneath...

Everyone tries to live for ever,

and it's a joyless
and a lonely life.

You lived there.

I lived for Elias.

I entertained him,
I took care of him.

I let him take care of me.

I kept him warm,

I helped him sleep...

I did everything he told me to.

Camellia?

No. Keep playing.

There, that last note,
keep playing that.

Look.

These,
the DNA sequences of plants...

There are so many,
I don't get it.

Wait.

Pap!

I found the key
to unlock the Citadel seeds.

I can make them fertile.

We'll never starve again.

So that was his plan:

to trade them for entrance
to the other Citadel.

You need
to take Vesper there tomorrow.

- No.
- Vesper.

- Pap.
- You...

I'm not leaving you.

You don't understand,
the Citadel will be ruthless.

I need new filters.
We have to go to the old lab.

You won't believe
what I'm about to do.

I'm so relieved
to finally find you, Miss.

And you are?

Where are my manners?

My name is Jonas.

I'm his brother.

If you come back with me,

I can help get you home.

We've contacted the Citadel,
they're on their way.

Either you're mistaken, or...

Someone isn't truth-telling.

I'm the only person in this area
with a transceiver.

You have to be really careful

who you trust.

My place is more...

appropriate for a lady.

It's bigger, more comfortable.

It doesn't smell of death.

I'll go with you.

Unbelievable!

You're practically human.

- A Jug needs a master.
- I have one.

Not anymore, you don't.

You think I'm stupid?

Vesper stop! Stop that! Stop it!

No, no, don't.

Jonas, no!

Drop it.

So this is how it ends.

I want to make a deal.

Camellia's owner was
an engineer.

He hid the codes to
unlock the seeds inside her DNA.

I can make them fertile.

We'll both have
all the food we need.

I found the Jug
you're looking for.

This will mix
with the seeds' cells

and change their DNA.

How long will it take?

It worked.

This little one
can change our entire lives.

Away from the window.

Vesper...

Leave it.

Don't breathe it.

They'll be here soon.

I'll turn myself in.

It's too late for that.
They know we've helped you.

You and Vesper have to go now.

No!

- We're not leaving you here.
- Don't argue.

I can buy you
enough time to escape.

Look at me.

You and Camellia must go
to the Citadel in the south.

Trade the seeds for safety.

No, I don't want any of this.

I'll give them the seeds.

It doesn't work that way.

I'm not leaving you here.

Vesper.

How about this?

We'll trick them.

You'll hide in the swamp
and I'll tell them you're gone,

and when it's over
you can come back.

I've worked for these people.
I know how to talk to them.

Besides,

how can they hurt me any more?

We could hide you from them,
too.

There you go.

That's a great idea.

Promise you'll take care of her.

No, no.

No! No!

- I'm sorry. Come.
- No!

- Come here. I'm sorry.
- No, no!

No. No.

He'll always be with you.

He'll always be with you.

Vesper.

He told us to go to your garden,

and then when it's safe
we go south to the Citadel.

OK?

Come on.

Come on.

Come on.

Run.

Don't touch the red grass.

I'll go with you.

Hey!

They won't stop until they get
me.

No.

Pap said...

We have to stay together.

You can't just leave me.

Vesper, do you remember
what you said about the seeds?

How just one could change
everything?

- No.
- Vesper.

- You can't do this.
- It's OK.

You're coming with me.

You're going to stay with me,
and that is it!

You have to do what I say.

It's an order, I'm ordering you,
and you will stay with me.

- Vesper...
- OK? Come on. Come on.

You're staying with me.

You're going to stay with me,
OK?

You're going to stay with me.
You're not going to leave.

No. No.

- Please.
- Vesper.

- Please don't leave me.
- Shh.

- Please.
- Vesper.

- Please.
- Vesper...

Please.

Please stay with me.

Have beautiful dreams.