Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice (2020) Review — A Documentary About Grief, Science, and the Hope of Bringing Someone Back

 

Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice | 2020 | 1h 15m
Genre: Documentary/Drama | Country: Thailand
Director: Pailin Wedel | Writers: Nina Ijäs, Pailin Wedel
Cast: Max More, Matrix Naovaratpong, Nareerat Naovaratpong
IMDb: 6.6
My Rating: 8/10

A controversial story about Sahatorn, a Thai scientist who freezes his daughter, who passed away from brain cancer, in the hope that she can be brought back to life in the future.

Warning:

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Synopsis of Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice

Sahatorn and his family face an unimaginable tragedy when their beloved daughter, Einz, dies from brain cancer at only two years old. Despite numerous medical efforts, there is no cure for her condition.

Einz is found unconscious and immediately taken to the hospital, where doctors diagnose her with brain cancer. She undergoes 12 surgeries and spends long periods in a coma during her treatment.

After learning that Einz’s life may not last much longer, Sahatorn, who is also a scientist, searches for a way to bring his daughter back to “life” in the future. He discovers cryonics, a preservation method that involves freezing a human body at extremely low temperatures below −130°C with the hope that future technology may be able to restore life.

This decision creates controversy and disagreement within his family, especially because it conflicts with some aspects of their religious beliefs. However, Sahatorn remains determined. Eventually, Einz is preserved through cryonics and sent to the United States.

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Review of Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice

Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice introduces viewers to a topic that many people may not have known about before. Something that once seemed impossible has become a real scientific practice being explored in the modern world.

As a documentary, the film takes a daring approach by discussing a sensitive subject involving death, grief, science, and family decisions. However, one of the challenges is that the documentary does not provide a clear direction regarding what perspective it wants to present. Instead, it leaves viewers to form their own opinions, which can sometimes lead to judgments toward the family.

At the same time, there is a dilemma in discussing this topic. On one hand, viewers can understand the deep grief experienced by the family and recognize that the decision they made was a personal choice. Because of this, judging their decision from the outside feels inappropriate.

From a documentary storytelling perspective, one weakness is the lack of explanation regarding Sahatorn’s background as a scientist. The film mentions that he is a scientist, but it does not clearly explain his field of expertise or previous work. Providing more context about his scientific background could help viewers better understand his way of thinking and the reasoning behind his decision to preserve Einz.

Another unclear aspect is the portrayal of Matrix, who is presented as a gifted child with the potential to contribute to future research on bringing Einz back to life. He even meets with scientists in America who are studying related possibilities. However, the documentary does not explain enough about Matrix’s background or what exactly he is researching. Viewers only see him conducting experiments, without a clear understanding of his actual work.

Despite these limitations, Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice remains an interesting documentary. Beyond scientific debates and social perspectives, the film ultimately presents a deeply human story about loss, love, and the hope people hold onto when facing unimaginable grief.

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Memorable Scene

The family visits Alcor, the facility where Einz is preserved. They bring some of Einz’s favorite belongings so they can feel her presence again.

This scene beautifully captures the difficulty of losing someone deeply loved. Through the expressions and emotions of each family member, viewers can see the pain of accepting a loss while still holding onto hope.

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Memorable Dialogue

“Because being brought back without memories is not actually being brought back.”

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Ending

Cliffhanger Ending

 
Recommendation

Worth Watching

 

(Aluna Uwie)

Had been published in Alunauwie.com
"This article was originally written in Indonesian and has been adapted into English for international readers."