REDUX REDUX brilliantly blends the concept of the multiverse and sci-fi with an absolute gut-punch of an emotional story.
I turned on REDUX REDUX expecting to enjoy a clever sci-fi romp about the multiverse, and I walked out needing to immediately wake up my children just to hold them. It had that powerful an effect on me. I simultaneously feel like I have so many things I want to say about it, and at the same time, I want to be cautious as I think it is best experienced not knowing exactly what to expect.
We’ve seen the multiverse handled in a dozen different ways in film and television, but REDUX REDUX takes a sharp, intimate turn. It is a story built around the drive of a parent to avenge their child’s death – when that is the only thing they feel like they have to live for.
The writing here is truly brilliant and something that most people can easily understand. Imagine an infinite number of universes where the differences are microscopically small. REDUX REDUX follows Irene (played with a haunting, bone-deep weariness by Michaela McManus) as she tries to change her circumstances by jumping from one reality to the next, only to find they are agonizingly identical.
It is a story born from a parent’s greatest fear – the loss of a child – and the lengths one would go to reverse fate, even if it’s an impossible task.
Michaela’s portrayal of Irene is nothing short of a tour de force. She is a warrior born from grief, and as a parent myself, I could absolutely put myself in her shoes – and admit I would surely do the same.
Then there is Stella Marcus as Mia. She brings a much-needed lightness to the film, using humor as a defense mechanism to cope with a horrific past. The chemistry between Michaela and Stella is the heart of the film. They develop a unique, surrogate mother-daughter dynamic that stems from two survivors finding a commonality that drives them.
From car explosions to the repeated (well-deserved) murder of Neville (Jeremy Holm), there is a tactile quality to the violence and the science that makes the stakes feel dangerously high.
Overall Thoughts On Redux Redux
REDUX REDUX is ultimately a morality tale about the perils of revenge and the necessity of acceptance. It shows viewers exactly what can happen to you if you live in the past and do not allow yourself to move on. Eventually, you will lose yourself. And the odds are that when you look in the mirror, you will not like what you see.
Even if you could kill the person who ruined your life a thousand times in a thousand different ways, what relief does it actually bring you? I have to admit, it does sound pretty tempting.
REDUX REDUX balances high-concept sci-fi with a devastatingly human core. It’s the kind of movie that makes you want to yell at the screen, sob in your seat, and then go home and hug your loved ones a little tighter.
About REDUX REDUX
In an attempt to avenge her daughter’s death, Irene Kelly travels through parallel universes, killing her daughter’s murderer over and over again. She grows addicted to the revenge streak, putting her own humanity in jeopardy.
REDUX REDUX comes to theaters on February 20th.
NEXT: Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights Is a Sultry Masterpiece
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.