Project Almanac (2015)
Staci Layne Wilson
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Starring Amy Landecker, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Virginia Gardner, Jonny Weston
Directed by Dean Israelite
Who doesn’t love a good time travel tale? The teenage protagonists of Project Almanac sure do – after they discover the blueprints to a time travel machine and make it work, they talk about the things they’ve seen in flicks such as Looper, Timecop, and the like. They talk about paradoxes and the pitfalls… but of course, in spite of all their pop-culture intel, they don’t avoid any of the snares. Which is great! What fun would a thriller like this be without the peril and logic lapses?
Presented by our pals at Platinum Dunes (Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Andrew Form) using the found-footage conceit and a passel of fresh young faces, Project Almanac is a surprisingly gripping and suspenseful thriller… at first. Unfortunately, the flick falters in the middle and never quite finds its footing again. In spite of that, I still think it’s worth a look – especially if, like myself, you’re a sucker for time travel “what if?” themed thrillers.
While I’ll admit I am predisposed to disliking the shaky, non-composed, un-artistic look and feel of camera-POV features films, the well done ones can convince me there’s a reason for it (for example: Chronicle made it effective). But Project Almanac would actually have worked a lot better if shot cinematically… the pogo-stick cinematography not only took me out the story, but it gave me a raging headache. I am aware the movie is meant to be big-bucket popcorn, opening-weekend friendly, but there’s too much product placement that makes the film feel instantly dated (Red Bull and Go-Pros abound, and a montage sequence at Lollapalooza featuring bubble gum rock icons like Imagine Dragons drags on).
For all that’s subpar about the movie, there’s a lot going for it, too–namely, the mystery that unravels as our intrepid heroes uncover the secret and figure out how to make it tick is as compelling as can be. The dialogue is sharp, witty, clever, and in keeping with the excitement the friends feel as they discover the joys of their newfound power (of course they play the Lotto, ace the chemistry test, and thwart the bullies, etc.).
The actors are above average, especially the lead. Jonny Weston has a lot of credits, but I am pretty sure I’ve only ever seen him in John Dies at the End – here, he’s in every scene and carries the rather weighty themes and sometimes unwieldy plotting more than admirably. I believed him in every aspect of his performance.
Project Almanac is not an instant classic, but it’s fun enough cinematic fast food. If you like time travel, then go ahead: Take the trip.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
