
As the Devil Commands
1933

2012
NRDirector
Nenad Cicin-Sain
Runtime
88 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
A struggling young artist accepts a series of bizarre commissions from an eccentric, dying millionaire who may be trying to either help further his career or destroy his life.
Overall Score
Limited
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film focuses on romantic loss but lacks explicit depictions of non-cisnormative identities. It operates within a traditional framework rather than using queer narratives to disrupt social norms.
Gender Representation
The narrative is heavily centered on a male protagonist's psychological state and existential dread. It utilizes a singular, male-centric perspective without actively subverting traditional gender hierarchies.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The primary cast and narrative focus lack significant racial or ethnic diversity. The setting emphasizes socioeconomic alienation through urban decay rather than diverse identity representation.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The film explores postmodern nihilism and the breakdown of societal structures. While it leans toward secularism, it lacks an intentional systemic critique of Western or religious institutions.
Disability Representation
Psychological instability and reality disintegration are framed through surrealism rather than disability agency. The portrayal leans toward the unreliable narrator trope instead of a nuanced study of mental health.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
The Time Being is a character-driven psychological study that prioritizes abstract philosophical inquiry over intersectional representation. The narrative architecture focuses on individual perception, grief, and temporal fragmentation rather than social commentary. Because the film emphasizes existentialism and surrealist abstraction, it lacks the intentionality required to address demographic diversity or deconstruct social hierarchies. The focus remains on the protagonist's internal state rather than systemic power dynamics. Ultimately, the film functions as a postmodernist exercise. It lacks the explicit narrative drivers necessary to score highly in metrics regarding racial, gender, or LGBTQ+ representation.

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