By George & Josh Bate
Equally remarkable as their capacity to tap into a range of emotions, films have the power to generate thought about topics we would otherwise seldom ever think of (or at least think of in this way). Movies like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival demonstrate that deep philosophical themes and commentary can be explored in a manner far beyond that of a mere intellectual exercise, instead coupling such themes with characters we are invested in and emotions we genuinely feel. It is no coincidence that the examples provided (Interstellar and Arrival) are science fiction films as sci-fi is a genre uniquely positioned to stretch the perspectives of audiences and challenge viewers on an emotional and intellectual level. Premiering at 2025’s SXSW is The Infinite Husk, a cerebral sci-fi drama that, much like Interstellar and Arrival, is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally moving and proof that grand science fiction tales can be told with incredible craft despite a limited budget.
Marking the debut feature film of writer/director Aaron Silverstein, The Infinite Husk follows Vel (played by Peace Ikediuba), an alien exiled to Earth after she committed an unspeakable act. The consciousness of Vel is placed into the recently deceased body (or husk) of a young Black female, resulting in Vel coming face-to-face with the realities of prejudice, sexism, and racism on Earth. Vel’s sole hope of returning home is to accept a difficult assignment by the God-like entity that exiled her here: find a fellow exiled being named Mauro (played by Circus-Szalewski), uncover his research, and report her findings. This seemingly straightforward task becomes complicated though as Vel gets to know Mauro and learns the details of his mysterious research.
Conceptually, The Infinite Husk harbors a number of features unique to the sci-fi genre. The concept of alien species taking the form of humans is not particularly novel, but Silverstein couples this concept with an intriguing context. The exiled alien at the heart of the film is not a physical being, instead existing more like an extraterrestrial consciousness that inhabits a human body. The body in question here is a dead body. In the case of Vel, she inhabits the recently deceased body of a young woman who has passed away on the floor of a public bathroom following an asthma attack. An inability to ever put a face to the aliens makes for an interesting viewing experience, especially as more details about their nature and their lived experience is unveiled.
As a result of the husk in which she inhabits, Vel experiences Earth in a manner distinct from others. Presenting as a Black female in modern America means she is subject to sexual harassment, racial discrimination, and microaggressions, all of which come as a shock to a being who has never encountered such concepts. Through Vel, the audience is able to experience what it would be like for an extraterrestrial being to be dropped on Earth and see our species for the first time. The resulting impression is far from glamorous and serves as a damning and disquieting critique of the society we have constructed.
For some films, an exploration of our society’s prejudices through the eyes of an alien would constitute the entirety of a story’s thematic depth. But that is not the case with the admirably ambitious The Infinite Husk. In fact, an exploration of our society’s prejudices only scratches the surface of the intellectual and philosophical depths Silverstein’s film reaches.
These depths are examined through Vel’s mission to spy on Mauro and gather information about his research. Through extraordinarily acted and sharply written dialogue scenes, coupled with Silverstein’s willingness to take his time with scenes, a range of interesting topics are explored, including the power of language, the boundaries of time, and what makes humans unique from other species. It is during these dialogue scenes that The Infinite Husk proves to be the most captivating. To say that they generate interesting thoughts about consciousness and extraterrestrial existence is a vast understatement considering the ways in which Silverstein gets his audience to reflect on topics we seldom reflect on in any depth. To elaborate would be to potentially spoil the contents of these conversations and, in turn, deprive prospective audiences of experiencing these scenes first-hand.
Eventually, the film’s exploration of these admittedly dense and cerebral topics activates strong emotions. The Infinite Husk isn’t necessarily a film that will elicit tears, but it is one that drives you to feel the desperation of its lead character, the challenge of dueling loyalties, and the boundless potential of human consciousness. Although there is potential to go further with these emotions by exploring more of what drives Vel and Mauro’s motivations, the film successfully balances its intellectual heft with emotional intelligence.
Given its heavy focus on philosophical and intellectual topics, The Infinite Husk is not a film that fosters a passive viewing experience. Half-watching while scrolling on your phone or doing the laundry will mean that much of what Silverstein’s film will go over your head. This is a cognitively demanding film, one that requires you to pay intricate attention to its dialogue in order to fully contemplate the questions posed to the audience. Those looking for lighter sci-fi fare may come away disappointed or bored, and perhaps there is some validity to the statement that the film needs a bit more levity or action to break up its dense themes. Regardless, and fundamentally, Silverstein’s film makes you think and feel things you probably haven’t thought or felt before. And, in the year 2025 in which we are inundated with new films and television shows to watch, that is quite the compliment.
Additional plaudits are deserved of stars Peace Ikediuba and Circus-Szalewski. The aforementioned essential dialogue scenes simply don’t work without actors of this caliber – actors who can sell the emotions of these extraterrestrial beings and their existence as an alien on a foreign world. Ikediuba brings an incredible physicality and reservation to her role, while Circus-Szalewski charms and is the definition of a scene-stealer.
All of the strong writing and acting converge on a final act that unfortunately misses the mark somewhat. As it nears its conclusion, the film becomes confusing (no longer confusing in the kind of purposeful, contemplative scene that works so well for the vast majority of the film, but, rather, more unfollowable). Although this may be ameliorated upon rewatches of the film, it means the ending has difficulty reconciling all of the lofty ideas at play and leaves one desiring a tighter and sharper conclusion. Thankfully, the strength of the film before this final act means it still leaves a lasting, positive impression, one that would have likely been even stronger had the ending not lost its way.
VERDICT: 7.5/10
Following in the footsteps of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, Aaron Silverstein’s The Infinite Husk is a cerebral sci-fi drama that cognitively challenges its audience while concurrently activating strong emotions in its audience. Themes ranging from prejudice to consciousness to time to human language are all ambitiously and emotionally explored, primarily through excellently acted and sharply written dialogue sequences. Strong performances from Peace Ikediuba and Circus-Szalewski ensure that the dialogue-heavy film remains captivating, although those looking for a less intellectually demanding film may grow tired. Despite a disappointing and confusing ending, Silverstein’s feature debut leaves a lasting impression, remarkably making one think and feel things one has never thought or felt before. Making The Infinite Husk even more astounding is that it was made on a microbudget and, as such, serves as resounding proof that grand and galaxy-spanning stories can be told even with the most limited of budgets. The Infinite Husk is a surprise treat of SXSW 2025 and should make the watchlist of any sci-fi fan eager for something new and intellectually stimulating.