Action and Sci-Fi are never a bad combination. Despite what kind of story line is placedbetween the opening and closing scene, if there is a good balance between shotsfired, people getting thrown through windows and something science fiction-yhappening, it’s usually a good time. First time director Ray Karwel has attempted this healthy balance in hisfirst feature film, TIME AGAIN. Usingthe theme of time travel as the science fiction portion to this story, he notonly resurrects memories of movies like TIME COP, BACK TO THE FUTURE and most closely THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT but doesn’t forget to inject plenty of gun fights. There’s probably nothing like receiving asecond chance and this film probably publishes that message more than anythingelse.
A portion of the film revolves around two sisters, Marlo(Angela Rachelle) and Sam (Tara Smoker). Sam agrees to cover her sister’s shift at the diner that they both workat. The other part of the movie moveswithin an angry mobster’s, Mr. Way (Scott F. Evans), desire to obtain a set offour special antique coins. We are not talking about the kind of coins that you invest with Fisher Investments to turn a profit either. According toWay, the coins enable the power to send their holder through time. With that kind of power, he wishes to placethe United States back on top as the strongest world power in the globe. Obviously being the antagonist of the movie,it’s pretty obvious to tell that he wishes to use them for way more than that.
After Sam takes over her sister’s shift, Marlo leaves thediner only to learn that it was attacked soon after she left and almosteveryone was killed. Sam went missingand we are fast-forwarded 6 months to find Mr. Way still looking for hiscoins. He finds Marlo and instantlytries to abduct her. After nearly avoiding death thanks to the assistance froma cop, Detective Lym (John T. Woods), who comes to her aid, she meets an oldlady (Gigi Perreau). The old lady hassomehow obtained the coins and sends Marlo back through time so she can try to save her sister.
One thing this film is filled with is gun fights. I think I counted around 5 pretty lengthybattles of the bullets by the time it was over. Mixed in with fist fights, including a few including the sisters, theaction level is pretty high. Everythingfrom loose electrical wires to explosives is used as weapons. The science fiction aspect of the film to mewas closest related to THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT because of the trying to change one’sdestiny concept of the story. That is where the film really shines; it hasthe audience asking what Marlo is going to do this time to try to save hersister. You find yourself thinking ofthings that you might do to rescue her and everyone else if you were in Marlo’sposition.
Some of the film was a bit cheesy and over the top but youcan kind of tell that that is what Karwel was going for. Like many action films from the 80’s andearly 90’s, it carries itself upon its action scenes and the professionalism canbe seen in every one despite the low budget. Karwel can definitely build upon this effort with his next featurepresentations. I give TIME AGAIN “5detailed gunfights out of 10”.
“Now I’m sounding like the sister with reason and that’s nota good look on me.”
