Will Scott’s ‘The Volition of Thalmus Doqui’ takes us into the depths of human tragedy, where the weight of personal loss threatens to crush the very essence of free will. Edward Jackson delivers a raw and haunting portrayal of Thalmus, a man who stands at the precipice, shattered by the violent loss of his wife in a school shooting. The anniversary of her death is upon him, and with a bottle of whisky and a loaded gun, he teeters on the edge of suicide.
But this is no simple story of grief. Scott’s tale transforms Thalmus’ inner turmoil into a visceral dialogue between life and death. Enter two unexpected visitors: a mailman (Bryant Ramsey) and a door-to-door salesman (Al Nouri). These aren’t just ordinary men – they are, in fact, the human embodiments of Thalmus’ tortured psyche. The mailman represents hope, kindness, while the salesman exudes malevolence, a figure coaxing Thalmus into believing in a world devoid of meaning, where God is nothing more than a “cruel puppeteer pulling the strings”.
Scott’s bold choice to externalize Thalmus’ inner conflict through these characters is both philosophical and gripping. The film dives into deep waters, touching on themes of free will, the nature of evil, religion, and the struggle to find purpose amidst chaos. The philosophical debate between these three characters – Thalmus, the mailman, and the salesman – unfolds in a hypnotic back-and-forth, one that keeps the audience teetering alongside Thalmus on the razor’s edge between life and death. The dialogue is razor-sharp, wrestling with the very essence of what it means to choose, to suffer, to survive.
The film is visually stunning, with Curt Apduhan’s cinematography elevating the intimate drama into something profound. The sound design is equally impressive. Jackson, as Thalmus, is captivating, his performance rich with nuance as he embodies a man so broken he can barely stand under the weight of his grief. Ramsey and Nouri bring layered performances that transcend their archetypal roles, each providing a magnetic counterweight to Thalmus’ spiraling despair.
‘The Volition of Thalmus Doqui’, at it’s core, is about how personal tragedy can push us to question the very nature of our existence. It’s a story of grief, but more than that, it’s a story of the power of choice. Do we succumb to the darkness or find some flicker of light to carry us forward? This is not a film that offers easy answers, but it leaves you contemplating the complexities of free will, faith, and the path toward healing. Highly recommended.
