Bulk is a film that I’m still not entirely sure what to make of. It could only be described as a surreal Sci-fi tale which, at times, borders on parody. The story centres on Corey Harlan, a journalist (maybe) who, after he is (seemingly) kidnapped and poisoned, is forced to travel through different dimensions (I think) in order to find an elusive billionaire. If that plot description seems vague and a bit confused, that is intentional. The audience is dropped in the middle of the story and is left to their own devices in order to figure out exactly what is going on.
The picture moves at a mile a minute and is doing its best at all times to disorient its viewers. For example, the dialogue appears entirely ad-libbed and is out of sync just enough that it is noticeable, but doesn’t make the piece unwatchable. Said dialogue is stilted and awkwardly delivered, giving us such gems as “I’m sick of reality.” I know this gives the impression I don’t like Bulk, but I really do! I believe all of these choices are deliberate and meant to serve a greater goal. Although, I’m not entirely sure what this goal is. I believe the film is supposed to be a parody of the Sci-fi genre as a whole. It traverses a number of familiar settings, as Harlan makes his way across different dimensions; from war torn wastelands, to desert worlds, and Area 51 style top secret labs.
At the end of the credits there is a list of different creators and movies the filmmakers cite as inspiration. Among these are; 2001: a Space Odyssey, Terminator, and the works of Philip K. Dick, all of which are parodied in some way during Bulk. This feature doesn’t just break the fourth wall – it completely demolishes it. There are intentionally bad props and special effects with direct references to Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With One Thousand Faces. The piece revels in its own artificiality and embraces genre tropes (albeit in a tongue in cheek way).
If none of this sounds appealing, then Bulk probably won’t be for you. There is a very particular sense of humour behind it which will attract a certain type of movie goer. However, if you are a Sci-fi fan, and get a laugh from bad effects and cheesy dialogue, then Bulk is worth seeing… there really wasn’t anything else quite like it at EIFF 2025.
The 78th Edinburgh International Film Festival ran from the 14th to 20th August 2025. Bulk screened as part of the Midnight Madness strand.
Press image provided by EIFF 2025 for press use.