Director: Michael Vegas, Siouxsie Q, and Bree Mills

Studio: Pure Taboo

Genre: Vignette

Cast: Michael Vegas, Ana Foxxx, Scarlit Scandal, and Jake Adams

Condoms: No

Run Time: 71 minutes

Release Date: January, 2021

Pure Taboo’s “Future Darkly” series is one of the studio’s most ambitious undertakings. It is grim, episodic sci-fi, much like the television series Black Mirror, and the original Twilight Zone before it. Each installment features an interweaving of sex and technology — from virtual reality, to robots, to overbearing monitoring systems. So far, the series has been excellent, and Pandemic Part I marks its first venture into the “ripped from the headlines” subgenre.

Episode One, “Laura’s Delivery”: starring Scarlit Scandal and Jake Adams

After opening with a George Orwell quote, this episode not-very-slowly but surely builds a foreboding atmosphere. The title of the DVD makes one immediately think of COVID, but the unnamed disease going around in this movie seems like something worse. Laura (Scarlit Scandal) is at home, keeping things as hygienic as possible. Texts from “Hubby” and cut-aways to a set of bedroom doors keep the viewer guessing as to what, exactly, is going on. Has this woman imprisoned her husband in his own home? How did he get sick, but not her, if they share a bed? As is always the case with Pure Taboo, the production quality is superb, and there’s no rush to get to the sex.

Temptation is delivered by a delivery man, Jake Adams. Their mutual attraction is palpable, and he’s quick to assure her that as an essential worker, he’s regularly tested . . . so if she’s sure she’s negative, they’re all set to spend some time together. It doesn’t take long for Laura to bring him inside. The ensuing sex is good, but not great. There’s nothing bad about it, per se, but neither performer manages to elevate the act to an art or stamp it with their unique flair the way many Pure Taboo regulars do, such as Dick Chibbles and Whitney Wright.

When the sex ends, the delivery man takes his leave, and we are still left wondering about poor hubby, locked upstairs, presumably with his ear to the floor. In a sense, this might be the subtlest “cuck” porn ever filmed.

Episode Two, “Anthony’s Date”: starring Michael Vegas and Ana Foxxx

Just like the prior episode, this one drips with dread. Anthony (Michael Vegas) is stocking up on supplies and clearly growing accustomed to a life of complete solitude. Again, the disease in this movie is either a metastasized COVID, or something far worse.

The drudgery of his lonely routines eventually gets to him, and he takes his mother’s advice: He checks out an online dating service. There he meets Aurora (Ana Foxxx) — who is not a real woman, just an image on a screen with so much artificial intelligence keeping it/her chugging. The two banter a great deal, and not just about sex — which Anthony is sheepish about discussing. This movie reminded me of how Michael Vegas is probably the best male actor in the adult industry. He could make the cut for a Netflix series no problem. We follow Aurora and Anthony’s budding and often awkward romance as they chat while he cooks, while he exercises, and before he goes to bed.

Here’s the rub, though — there’s no sex. My guess is that this is something of an appetizer for episodes to come, the backstory to a larger narrative that will, presumably, include sex. As is, “Anthony’s Date” is an artsy short film, not porn.

Extras

Just trailers and slideshows.

A/V

The sound and video quality are impeccable, as with all Pure Taboo releases.

Final Thoughts

A DVD with just one sex scene unlikely to please very many people. Given Pure Taboo’s general high quality, and my enjoyment of past installments of “Future Darkly,” I am curious about Part II, and perhaps Part I will seem better within the context of a broader series. However, on its own, Future Darkly: Pandemic Part 1 is a well-produced dud.