Coherence (2013) is one of those rare low-budget sci-fi films that punches way above its weight. It’s always intriguing to see a movie tackle supernatural topics like quantum superposition, and this one dives right in—crashing the party like it owns the place. For such a small production, the filmmakers did a fantastic job with tension, atmosphere, and mystery. Some commenters gripe that the acting feels off, but hey—how are you supposed to act naturally when you’ve never experienced anything like this, and probably never will?
But we’re here to talk about the story.
The era of results-oriented moviemaking
As we’ve mentioned more than once, we live in an era of results-oriented moviemaking—where economic, creative, and deadline pressures are everywhere. And the first thing that usually suffers is the script. Good writing needs time, and more importantly, mental space for inspiration and refinement. This is especially true for stories like this, where the phenomenon being explored—like quantum superposition—is barely understood, even in scientific circles.
Also, in today’s hyper-competitive market, studios often feel pressured to cram as many high-concept ideas into a script as possible—trying to appear smarter, edgier, or more thought-provoking than the competition. But more often than not, this backfires, leaving audiences confused rather than impressed. Instead of depth, you get a tangled mess of half-baked concepts that don’t have room to breathe or make sense. That’s not to say it isn’t fun to occasionally try and untangle even the hardest knot afterwards.
So, how coherent is Coherence?
Honestly, the script feels as solid as it needs to be, with no noticeable plot holes—and that might just be the benefit of not being a big-budget movie. The quantum themes are handled in a way that aligns well with what we currently understand about the subject, without going overboard or getting lost in pseudo-science. For me, the writing team’s skill became clear right from the opening dinner party—it was one of the most natural and believable group dynamics I’ve seen on screen. The dialogue, full of cross talk and seemingly unimportant anecdotes, felt incredibly authentic. That grounded, natural atmosphere made the supernatural elements that followed feel all the more jarring and effective.
All in all, Coherence was genuinely enjoyable to watch, and I’d absolutely recommend it—especially if you’re into mind-bending stories with a grounded execution. Now, let’s point out the Major Arcana archetype that played the biggest part in the story, and to which the movie—knowingly or unknowingly—paid significant homage.
The High Priestess – The Unknown
In the tarot, the High Priestess sits between two towers—one of truth and one of illusion. One might argue that these towers are quantumly superimposed: coexisting in potential. They live side by side in the spirit, in the realm of the future—waiting for consciousness to collapse them into one reality or the other.
The tower on her left, sometimes overlooked, represents illusionary inspiration: the comfortable lies, half-truths, and unknowns we surround ourselves with. Before the onset of free will, there were no towers—only truth. But with choice came ambiguity, and with ambiguity, illusion. In Coherence, the illusion isn’t just visual or situational—it’s existential. The characters don’t just confront alternate realities; they confront the unsettling possibility that they don’t know themselves at all. The High Priestess energy hovers over the entire film, challenging both characters and viewers to question what’s real, what’s not, and whether finding out is even desirable.
Ira