A Rough Draft (2018)

A Rough Draft is the kind of sci-fi that swings for the fences: a bold, idea-packed fantasy-action ride that takes one unnerving question—what if everyone forgot you ever existed?—and spins it into a kaleidoscope of parallel worlds. Its greatest pleasure is the sheer imaginative scope, with striking visuals and a video-game designer’s sense of “what if” wonder powering the momentum as reality keeps shifting under your feet. The vibe is slick, pulpy, and propulsive, more concerned with big concepts and spectacle than quiet subtlety, and it’s all the more entertaining for how confidently it commits to its weirdness. If you like ambitious genre films that would rather risk being too much than play it safe, this one is an easy ticket.

A Rough Draft is clearly aiming for big, brainy sci‑fi fantasy—parallel worlds, identity erasure, and a video-game designer thrust into a cosmic job he never asked for. The problem is the film’s storytelling is so messy and patchy that it often feels like you’re watching key scenes missing, which makes the rules of its universe hard to follow and the emotional stakes hard to buy. Add uneven acting and CGI that can look distractingly cheap, and the whole thing struggles to land with the punch it wants. If you love high-concept Russian sci‑fi and can tolerate confusion for the occasional cool idea or visual flourish, you might find something to like; if you need coherent world-building and tight plotting, this will probably waste your time.