These six episodes retrace the confrontation between the “Ogre of Baku” and the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue in 1997. A fast-paced thriller as psychological as it is sporting.
« If the Anglo-Saxons allow themselves to tell stories that do not take place in their world, even if it means changing the language, as with the series Chernobylwhy wouldn’t French speakers do the same ? », repeat French producer Bruno Nahon and Quebec screenwriter and director Yan England. With Rematch, crowned at Séries Mania with the flagship trophy for the best international series, this duo brilliantly replays a page of history: the clash in 1997 around the chessboard between the best player of all time, Garry Kasparov, and the supercomputer of IBM Deep Blue. A first match saw the victory of the human, but the revenge saw the “Ogre of Baku” being overtaken by the machine. A civilizational trauma.
Dialogued in English, shot between Montreal and Hungary which simulate the hustle and bustle of New YorkRematch transforms the six parts between man and machine into a dizzying sports, psychological and cerebral thriller where paranoia ends up sneaking in. Yan England choreographed the games like a boxing match. The director also cites The Social Network by David Fincher who Rocky as sources of inspiration. « In the ring, there is this punch that you receive in the full solar plexus, the uppercut that takes your breath away. In chess, the same, there are exchanges that destroy your psyche. » To translate it on screen, he dilates time, multiplies close-ups and impact effects, with deeper sounds when a key piece moves. Immortalizes the formidable technique of Kasparov, who “screwed” his pieces. An indication, like in poker, that the opposing player was in bad shape.
A human AI
To play Kasparov, a knowledgeable boxer was needed. Christian Cooke, concerned about the veracity of his Russian accent, also memorized hundreds of strokes and their gestures under the supervision of great masters. He devoured the memoirs, the confidences of the Russian genius. « To slip into his skin without sinking into a bad imitation, you had to channel your intellect, your concentration, your determination. He was the first chess player to train his body like an athlete. He runs, does push-ups »explains the 37-year-old British actor.
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The six episodes show him like a lion caged in his hotel, practicing night jogging in Central Park. A Pressure Cooker with the pressure of representing humanity in this unprecedented duel. The sacrifices of a solitary prodigy rise to the surface, in conflict with his ex-wife, without news of his daughter. An orphan whose only confidants are his mother and his agent. Not yet entering his dimension as a political opponent, this Kasparov did not emerge unscathed from the war of nerves that the USSR practiced on its champions. He fears eavesdropping, low blows, cheating.
Is IBM, which refuses to communicate its data and its lines of code, so different from Moscow? Rematch weaves suspense on this ethical question and penetrates the backstage, also full of mistrust and tension, of the opposing camp. The series reminds us that artificial intelligence is inseparable from the humans behind the machine. The developers and the chess players training Deep Blue are not always on the same wavelength with each other. If Yan England was able to interview people close to Kasparov and the grand masters hired by IBM, he deplores the fact that the firm’s leaders declined his interview requests. Before concluding: « This reinforced our idea that the Kasparov-Deep Blue meeting still harbors secrets… »
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