In a remarkable documentary that challenges our fundamental understanding of life and death, one man's extraordinary devotion to cryonics reveals a radical approach to achieving immortality. Love, Immortal follows Arthur McEwen, a Scottish man who has dedicated his life and resources to preserving his body through freezing in the hope of future resurrection.
The Science Behind Cryonic Preservation
Cryonics represents one of the most controversial frontiers in modern science, offering the tantalising possibility of cheating death by preserving human bodies at extremely low temperatures. The process involves cooling legally deceased individuals to -196°C in specialised facilities, with the hope that future medical advancements might one day restore them to full health and consciousness.
Arthur McEwen, now 47, began his journey into cryonics after witnessing his grandfather's decline from Alzheimer's disease. This personal tragedy sparked his determination to find alternative solutions to mortality. "I watched someone I loved deeply slowly disappear before my eyes," McEwen explains in the documentary. "That experience fundamentally changed how I view death and what might be possible."
A Personal Mission Against Mortality
The documentary, released in November 2025, follows McEwen over three years as he navigates the complex practical and emotional landscape of preparing for cryonic preservation. Viewers witness his meticulous planning, including financial arrangements for long-term storage and regular dialogues with cryonics specialists about the latest technological developments.
McEwen has allocated approximately £150,000 for his cryonic preservation, a sum that covers the complex procedure and decades of storage in a specialised facility in Arizona. His commitment extends beyond financial planning to include detailed instructions for his family and a network of trained responders who will spring into action immediately after his legal death is declared.
The emotional toll on McEwen's relationships forms a central theme of the documentary. His partner of eight years, Sarah Chen, shares her mixed feelings about his decision. "Part of me admires his courage and vision," she reveals. "But another part grieves the normal life we might have had, without this shadow of his future preservation hanging over us."
Ethical and Scientific Controversies
Cryonics continues to face significant scepticism from mainstream scientific communities. Dr Eleanor Vance, a bioethicist at University College London featured in the documentary, raises important questions about the procedure's viability. "There's no guarantee that future science will solve the fundamental challenges of reviving cryonically preserved individuals," she states. "The damage caused by the freezing process itself presents enormous biological hurdles."
Despite these concerns, cryonics organisations report steadily increasing membership, particularly among technology professionals and academics. The documentary highlights how improvements in preservation techniques, including the use of cryoprotectants to reduce ice crystal formation, have bolstered proponents' optimism about future revival possibilities.
The film doesn't shy away from addressing the philosophical questions surrounding identity and consciousness. If revival becomes possible centuries in the future, what would it mean for the revived individual to awaken in a completely unfamiliar world, separated from everyone they ever knew?
McEwen acknowledges these uncertainties but remains steadfast in his choice. "I see it as a calculated gamble," he reflects. "The alternative is absolute certainty - permanent oblivion. Given those options, I choose possibility over certainty."
As the documentary concludes, viewers are left contemplating profound questions about life, death, and the human drive to transcend biological limitations. Love, Immortal serves as both a portrait of one man's extraordinary commitment and a window into a subculture challenging humanity's most fundamental boundary.
