If a film isn’t obviously a genre movie, filled with aliens, spaceships and the other high concepts that go into effects-laden blockbusters, then the filmmakers (or the studio marketing department) is reluctant to call a film sci-fi if it is cross-genre film with sci-fi elements - Never Let Me Go immediately springs to mind, as does Sliding Doors.

So it was rather surprising to see that David Mackenzie (Hallam Foe) was openly describing his recent film Perfect Sense as sci-fi.

Like many cross-genre movies it is as much about human drama as it is about the requisite “what-if” scenario. In this case it is a virus that causes people's senses to stop working, but the losses occur one at a time, on a global scale, starting with the sense of smell.

The story primarily revolves around two characters; Susan (Eva Green), a scientist, and Michael (Ewan McGregor), a chef, with both actors familiar to sci-fi and cross-genre films. Green co-starred in English indie Franklyn, and McGregor’s credentials don’t need much introduction.

While it is a bit convenient that the two leads are employed in professions directly related to film’s main plot device - Susan is investigating the cause of the virus, and Michael’s work caters to all the senses - the writing, direction and acting are confident enough to overcome this obvious contrivance.

It also helps that the kitchen scenes are totally believable, because many films fail to get this right, and while most people don’t have the experience of working in restaurant kitchens, shows like Gordon Ramsey’s have certainly made people more familiar with what happens behind the swinging doors.

Although this is essentially a romance movie, it introduces a new sci-fi sub-genre the Pre-Apocalyptic film. Unlike the standard post-apocalyptic films, where society completely falls apart and everyone goes feral, in this, apart from the initial reactions to the loss of a sense, society corrects itself and adapts in positive ways so they can retain their humanity, which is what seems to be the film’s main message. And bikes are still being used!

Perfect Sense is out on DVD on January 30 and is available from Play and all good retailers.