Compliance (2026) Fantastic Fest Review

In the year of our Lord, 2026, there has been so much that has changed about our society as a whole. It's why many of us are grasping at the things we had when we were growing up-- physical media, wired phones, old school TVs. Not just because it reminds of us simpler times, but because these little nostalgic elements are rooted in years when there was no AI, flock cameras, or people doing and saying the absolute wildest things on the internet for all to see and hear. While many people can watch what is happening around them and accept it for what it is, there are others who don't-- and that is what writer-director Kyle Mangione-Smith aimed to capture and display in his latest found footage feature, Compliance. 

What starts off with Sam, a PR specialist for a company called UVisit, stepping in to "help" a victim of rape. It then quickly spirals into a political thriller with no steady foundation to stand on. Sam, tasked with getting Sarah to sign an NDA, realizes that the people she works for only care about one thing-- the money. With there being no shortage of inspiration to draw from in our own society, the film delves deeper into more than it lets on in the first act. Unfortunately, the focal point of the film gets lost along the way and like his short film, Annihilator, Kyle once again leans on shock value to keep his viewers invested.. 

When an mysterious organization led by a man named Master recruits Sam to help take down the people behind UVisit, the bigger picture comes into view. The company is attempting to go public but the truth about the owners and investors come to light. Through laptops, phone screens, company cameras and the like, we watch as the pieces of Master's plan unfolds. Deciding to utilize found footage and screen life elements for this type of story worked for a film with such strong messaging and themes. Though it doesn't do much to support its characters or overall plot. 

Compliance needs more than just a few trigger warnings-- because there is a full on SA scene and more in this movie-- but it also needs a roadmap for all the turns it makes away from the actual point of it all. Kyle Mangione-Smith's ideas are big, but those ideas get lost in unnecessary scenes, problematic plot points, and pointless moments.