2023 FILM MAUDIT 2.0 FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
When a man attempts to tamper with Time he is forced to face the repercussions. Anxiety, loss, and death will plague him, and these things will show him that accepting his reality, rather than trying to create a new one, is the best course of action. Will he find his way back, or will time consume him?
Time is a difficult film to follow, and it’s a film in which the narrative isn’t made abundantly clear. This aspect of the film is a challenge, and I’m not entirely sure that viewers will be able to appreciate Time in this regard. With that being said, however, I’m not sure that Writer-Director Steven Lapcevic intended this aspect of his film to be the most entertaining–and I believe that he came to peace with this long before the film was released. What Lapcevic is trying to do is create something experimental, and the story is meant only to supplement the visuals. Lapcevic achieves this, and the story present throughout Time effectively supports the wild visuals that exist throughout.
Again, the visuals are some of the more important aspects of Time, and they are what’s tasked with appealing to viewers. The animation is one-of-a-kind, something that I’m not entirely sure that I’ve ever seen before–and I appreciate the fact that it’s so unique. The animation present in Time is sort of a wild ride, and the flawless editing helps to weave a web of insanity–and it keeps viewers intrigued from beginning to end. Things are intentionally made to look gritty, to look less-than-perfect–and that’s somewhat ironic, because, like everything else, that attention to detail is nearly perfect.
Along with the animation itself comes the editing. There are many moving parts throughout Time, and without pristine editing, the transitions from scene to scene doesn’t work. The visuals are spectacular, and they are one of the main reasons that Time works for viewers and the film will find success–but it’s the editing that does it for me. Time comes to life as a result of the expertise in the editing department. Viewers are able to travel this winding road without too many issues, and what bit of the narrative they are able to understand shines through in great part thanks to the editing.
I feel that people everywhere often have the feeling that they have to make some massive change. Whether that change is personal, on a global scale, or something else entirely doesn’t matter–but I believe that this urge almost always exists. We don’t often understand the consequences of what we do, even if we do things with the best of intentions in mind. Time explores this idea, and it channels themes and tones of pain and suffering that allow viewers to understand the film’s purpose. Again, the story itself can be challenging to comprehend, but the messages present throughout Time help to bridge the gap between film and viewer. Part of the reason these things shine through and are understood is the score. The score is harrowing, sometimes creepy and sometimes angry. It conveys emotion better than any other aspect of Time–and without it I believe the messages that Lapcevic had hoped to convey would have failed to reach viewers.
Time is one of a kind, something far off the beaten path from what viewers would typically see in film. I commend its ability to be different, and I appreciate the fact that Lapcevic is unwilling to yield to the heavy hand of the mainstream. Through wonderful editing, unique visuals, and a spectacular score, Time reaches viewers in a series of ways. The reality is that Time isn’t made for mainstream audiences, but for true cinephiles. For the ones who are able to appreciate the intricacies of film–Time will likely be right up their alley.
Written & Directed by Steven Lapcevic.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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