It's fair to say that we as an audience are more than accustomed to the time travel element of science fiction, no matter what form it takes. Various sci-fi genre offerings have dealt up a multitude of different scenarios to explain and present this much discovered means of scientific exploration. Back to the Future used a DeLorean, Donnie Darko theorised with portals, and now Bradley King's Time Lapse uses its own special means to predict the outcome of the future.
Finn (Matt O'Leary) is an aspiring artist whose creative spark is currently flailing and far from showing itself, while his girlfriend Callie (Danielle Panabaker) seems to be blossoming as a writer. The pair, living also with their addictive gambler friend Jasper (George Finn) are in a seemingly comfortable living arrangement.
When their tenant Mr. Bezzerides (John Rhys-Davies) goes behind on his rent, Callie is forced to visit the old man to retrieve the money, only to find him dead. With the body of the old man in the apartment, Callie and her friends also discover something rather unsettling in the form of a machine that takes pictures of the future. With such technology able to essentially predict the future, the trio decide to use it for their own personal gain, but eventually the lust for money and much more turns their lives upside down.
Time Lapse is a clever twist on the conventional time travel element of the science fiction section of cinema, instead playing on the morality side of things and presenting a varying detail of seeing into the realms of future development. In presenting such an intriguing scenario, the film requires strong protagonists in order to drive the story forwards, and this is where it becomes slightly lacklustre. While The Flash star Danielle Panabaker remains a reliable force of decision-making and ultimately acting proficiency, her male counterparts are somewhat cliched and questionably dull.
Panabaker's strong-willed Callie is a key cog in this wheel, often guiding these two individuals from the dirt track back onto the road of common sense and also delivers her own brand of secrets and surprise that certainly catch us unawares. She has a sense of depth about her, while the male side of this story seems to be about money, power and a sense of depression; something that as audience we can't quite grasp hold of for too long.
That being said, Time Lapse is a refreshing proposition, especially considering this is a debut feature from director Bradly King. Limiting himself to a restricted set could have turned out claustrophobic, but in fact the director has himself a bold and advantageous choice in his repertoire, with the unfolding events playing perfectly in such a small space. It makes for extra tension and a true feeling that these three characters are very much immersed and stuck in this situation together, with no-one allowed to escape from it.
This is a film that explores the morality of human nature, questions each character's motives and places us in the position of these everyday people, asking us what exactly would we do in this specific scenario. It twists and turns its way to an impressive finale, slightly faltering at some of the key character interaction moments, but still reaches that finish line with a distinct level of impressive edge.
Time Lapse is certainly no world-beater in terms of its execution, but considering it is a debut feature, this is a sci-fi offering that is hard to ignore, if only for its innovative means of telling the often utilised time travel narrative. The film is often saved by the brilliance of Panabaker and her evolving personality, while her male partners in crime somewhat hinder proceedings at times. The usual conventions are certainly defied, but this is a film that is hampered in some of the key moments.
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