[Film Review] Flashback (2021)

At one point or another, everyone wonders if they’ve made the right choices with their time. Every decision, regardless of how big it may seem, can impact the future. Horror directors have often used the concept of time as a vehicle to explore the fear of the unknown because, unlike so many of our favorite movie monsters, time can’t be stopped - or so we believe.  Director Christopher MacBride capitalizes on this fear with his film Flashback (2021), a film that will have you questioning every decision you make.

When Fred Fitzell’s (Dylan O’brien) seemingly perfect life is interrupted by violent nightmares about a girl that had disappeared from his high school and his memories, he decides to investigate his own drug-filled past. But as Fred begins to look deeper into his former life, he realizes that everything around him may not be what it seems. Flashback is science-fiction, psychological thriller that asks the audience what they might do if given unlimited chances to redo their choices.

The film is split between two arcs; the first follows a linear story as Fred revisits old friends and places from his past on his quest to find Cindy (Maika Monroe). The second half of the film is where the pacing starts to shift. When Fred begins to recollect his experience with the recreational drug, Mercury, his world stops - literally. That’s because Mercury isn’t a drug that causes euphoria or hallucinations, it’s a substance that allows the user to move through time and space. When he finally finds Cindy, who has been indulging in the freedom of exploring endless alternate realities, he embarks on a bender that allows him to explore all of the different livelihoods he could’ve experienced.

MacBride, the writer and director, take plot cues from cult favorites like The Butterfly Effect (2004), Limitless (2011), and even The Matrix (1999). While the logic behind the plot is relatively straight-forward in regards to time jumping, the film relies heavily on visuals to convey the idea of time and place. It’s definitely the kind of film that requires multiple viewings to understand because it’s not explained outright. While many of the visuals are interesting, the editing is one of the strongest aspects of the film. It masterfully creates compelling juxtapositions between shots to show jumps in time. Stagnant shots and standard cuts would show a much different, far more boring portrayal of this story. 

Dylan O’brien carries the film with his portrayal of Fred, which is sure to help rid him of his mid-2010’s teenage heartthrob perception. The role is  intense and performed at high energy for almost the entire runtime. He’s able to relay information and emote relatively well without much expositional dialogue. The rest of the cast gives mixed performances ranging from compelling manic pixie dream girl portrayals to laughable afterschool-special bullies. Still, since the film predominantly follows Fred and his journey, the supporting characters don’t necessarily take too much away from the film. 

Unfortunately, bad acting isn’t the only downfall of the film. While the plot might seem unique and intellectually-complex, there are long stretches of dialogue and explanations that come off as incredibly pretentious. There are scenes between Fred and Cindy that are set-up to be insightful, meaningful moments that come across as the vapid babbling of any high school stoner. These scenes really detract from the film, taking away any of the abstract meaning that could be found in these delicate conversations. 

There are two moments near the end of the film that feature an obnoxious interpretation of an objective visual for Fred’s movement through time and space. While it’s clear that they wanted this to be one of the peaks of action, it also comes off as pretentious and unnecessary. The team chose to use aggressive strobe lights over what looks to be a video of a nebula, which is also cut with ambiguous flashback scenes. These segments are jarring and create a halt in the tension of the film. They’re drawn out for far too long and make the entire film significantly longer than it is. 

While the film might be aesthetically appealing and have an interesting plot, it falls short of becoming anything significant compared to the other genre films from which it was inspired. Although this may fall off to the side as a generic mid-tier film, it’s clear that there’s strong potential with MacBride as a director and O’brien as an up-and-coming star. Hopefully they continue to make the right choices - or they may end up down the rabbit hole, too.

RELATED ARTICLES

---

---

EXPLORE

---

MORE ARTICLES

---

---