Charlotte Zhang's stunning debut film 'Tycoon' presents a dystopian vision of Los Angeles in 2028, set against the backdrop of the Summer Olympics. The city is gripped by paranoia and conspiracy, with a livestock disease banning meat production. Protein distribution, mainly powdered insects, is monopolized by Ootheca Inc., a megacorporation whose greed is made even more insidious by a cockroach infestation in local neighborhoods.
A Human Story of Survival
Despite its outlandish premise, 'Tycoon' is fundamentally a deeply human tale of survival. The protagonists, Lito (Miguel Padilla-Juarez) and Jay (Jon Lawrence Reyes), are two hustlers who exploit the widespread chaos to commit petty crimes, such as breaking into an Ootheca trailer to steal protein powder. Their adventures are dynamically rendered using a mix of formats, including handheld DV camera, Super 8, and Xerox art. Unlike other filmmakers who favor DIY styles, Zhang pays meticulous attention to blocking and composition. Scenes of house parties, twilight rides, and street drifting coalesce into a stunning city symphony, where visual rhythm emerges from disorder.
Political Underpinnings
Beneath the casual visual tone, 'Tycoon' carries serious political weight. As Latino men in an era of state-sanctioned racial violence, Lito and Jay face economic precarity and constant surveillance. Their choice to game the system rather than be crushed by it—like Ootheca's insects—is empowering. Zhang occasionally uses text intertitles to make political allusions explicit, which can feel awkward, but as a debut film, it's a powerful manifesto. 'Tycoon' screens at the ICA, London from 22 May.
