Vivid, The Little Blue Pill and Carnage

Ah, that little blue pill. Wait, no...not that one. The potency pharmaceutical many use to enhance...well, you know, might be the subject of a great film, but today we will talk about another pill, also blue. A pill that will allow us to live in our dreams. Sound good! If you're a loser, you can now manipulate your dreams so that you are a winner, and stay in those dreams. What could go wrong? Hence we look at 2011's "Vivid" (aka "Wonderland"), directed by Brandon Slagle.

We start off with a couple of losers of life's lottery. Two schmucks going nowhere but down. Ethan (Keith Kraft), a call-center employee and Rosa (Devanny Pinn), an addict. Rosa will die of an O.D. soon and Ethan will probably commit suicide. Wait! There is also Alice (Deneen Melody), a suicidal soap opera actress who may have been abducted by a serial killer. The serial killer? Let's just call him The Man of Sin (Slagle). He indeed has our actress. The Man of Sin is into these little blue pills in which he can control his dreams. There's more! He can control the dreams and realities of those he abducts. He can give them everything they want and aspire to. Fame! Glamour! Wild sex! Importance! You name it, and The Man of Sin enjoys playing God.

There is a big problem here...he's also a serial killer. A serial killer who seeks to be God tends to be a problem...especially if he decides to focus on you. Our two losers are transformed after he abducts them. Rosa is now a stunning babe and Ethan is an important bloke driving expensive cars. Being magnanimous to losers isn't The Man of Sin's ultimate goal. Killing and gutting losers is easy, but transforming them into their ultimate dreams...and then offing them...well, that's more fun for him. Now Rosa and Ethan will meet and both realize their present existences can't be real. They better be careful because The Man of Sin is their god in this dream state and he has some demented plans for the duo. Oh yeah, that soap opera actress? Well, that won't be a pretty plot device, I'm afraid.

Will Rosa and Ethan be able to join forces and battle The Man of Sin? Is the Man of Sin also a serial killer in the actual world, or just in this weird wonderland? Is the little blue pill in this film a relevant metaphor for the one pushed on us by "Big Pharmaceutical." Ms. Pinn does a fantastic job and plays to the camera very well...especially in the dream state. For some suspended reality fun and arousal, enjoy "Vivid."