"Anna to the Infinite Power" is a straightforward film about Anna Hart (Martha Byrne) going through puberty. Yet what makes this film more original than many other films dealing with the same subject matter is the creative science fiction plot supplied by writer-director Robert Weimar. Anna Hart is a child prodigy when it comes to science and mathematics, but she is also anti-social and a kleptomaniac. Anna's behaviour mystifies her teachers, her brother, and her parents. Then one day, Anna sees another girl who looks exactly like her on the television set and she embarks upon a series of adventures that culminate in her entering a psychiatric facility. While all this is happening, Michaela Dupont (Donna Mitchell) takes a strange and even a somewhat disturbing interest in Anna Hart. We have no idea whether Michaela's intentions are good or evil, which makes her into an enigmatic character for most of this movie and adds to the suspense.
Most of the plot is fine. The movie falls significantly short of greatness, however, because the cast is not particularly strong. Most of the acting is amateurish, particularly from Anna Byrne, Mark Patton, and the actors playing the parents. Their performances come across as staged and even annoying. Donna Mitchell, on the other hand, has some good scenes, but falters in other scenes. The only actor doing anything fresh is Jack Gilford (Dr. Jelliff) right at the end, who masks his malevolence with a benign paternalism. There is also a 20-minute sequence with Anna sneaking around the psychiatric facility which kids may like, but which seem pretty unconvincing to teens and adults. As a result, I decided to downgrade by review because this movie's effectiveness as an entertainment suffers from a poor cast and some problems with the plot line. Yet I did admire Weimar's attempt to do something original and fresh with his subject matter.
Most of the plot is fine. The movie falls significantly short of greatness, however, because the cast is not particularly strong. Most of the acting is amateurish, particularly from Anna Byrne, Mark Patton, and the actors playing the parents. Their performances come across as staged and even annoying. Donna Mitchell, on the other hand, has some good scenes, but falters in other scenes. The only actor doing anything fresh is Jack Gilford (Dr. Jelliff) right at the end, who masks his malevolence with a benign paternalism. There is also a 20-minute sequence with Anna sneaking around the psychiatric facility which kids may like, but which seem pretty unconvincing to teens and adults. As a result, I decided to downgrade by review because this movie's effectiveness as an entertainment suffers from a poor cast and some problems with the plot line. Yet I did admire Weimar's attempt to do something original and fresh with his subject matter.