Science fiction crime thriller from Louis Morneau, genre director and graduate of the Roger Corman school of filmmaking. Kylie Travis stars as Karen, a psychiatrist and former hostage negotiator with the Chicago Police Department. After a negotiation gone lethally wrong, Karen has quit and returned home to Texas, where her car breaks down on the side of the highway. Picked up by Frank (James Belushi) and his ex-wife Rayanne (Shannon Whirry), it becomes quickly evident that Frank, a psychotically
violent and jealous man, is involved in some sort of illegal activity involving a stolen computer disk. During a break at a truck stop, Frank murders Rayanne. Karen escapes to a nearby government installation, where Brian (Frank Whaley), a scientist, is working on a time travel device. Karen uses the machine to turn back the clock a few hours and try to prevent Frank's murderous rampage, but her interference only makes things worse. Returning again and again to the past, Karen only succeeds in adding fuel to Frank's fire. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
With its explosive action, black comedy and far-fetched sci-fi imposed on an otherwise vaguely plausible crime thriller, this modest indie film is reminiscent of such low budget '80s exploiters as Tremors and the work of Charles Band.
Similar in structure (at a very basic level) to Groundhog Day and the more recent Source Code, Retroactive doesn't have the same humor or intelligence of either of those films. The set-up feels rushed, mostly do to a weak script. There's some energetic action scenes, but the back-story is treated so slightly, that
nothing has much weight to it. The fast pace does help cover for some of the silliness, but in the end you have something that doesn't add up to much. Had they had a more convincing bad guy (James Belushi isn't at all intimidating), it definitely would have helped a great deal. 2.5/5 Stars
I very much enjoyed this movie, it had a very clever plot and at least it is reasonably original. The performances are good. Frank Whaley and M. Emmet Walsh are terrific in supporting roles, Kylie Travis creates a strong central role and James Belushi is surprisingly effective in role against type. Fantastic pace,
fascinating premise with a time travel element. Good editing and cinematography. Nicely done, always interesting.
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