Tags:
Film: Redux Redux
Year: 2025
Directors: Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus
Writers: Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus
Starring: Michaela McManus, Stella Marcus and Jeremy Holm
Review:
This was a film that caught my attention at the Gateway Film Center. Now I try to avoid them. I will watch parts to see if it draws me in and then check the genres. When I figured out that this was considered horror, it went on my list to see. Now I didn’t get to see it in the theater, due to the times it was being shown didn’t match my schedule. I did, however, get to see this on VOD. I’m making it a Featured Review and it technically is also a Voyage through the FiVes watch.
Synopsis: Irene Kelly (Michael McManus) travels through parallel universes, repeatedly killing her daughter's murderer. As she becomes consumed by vengeance, her humanity hangs in the balance.
Like the synopsis states, we’re following Irene. What is interesting here is that we start with seeing her watching over a man, tied to a chair as he is burning to death. He is alive as this happens. We then see her in a diner as she talks to a waitress, Deb (Debra Christofferson). Irene’s interest lies with a cook, Neville (Jeremy Holm). We then see her struggling while he’s choking her and this in a bedroom. She is able to get free and shoots him through the bed. There are other variations of how she kills him.
Seeking vengeance for her daughter's murder by Neville, she uses a machine to jump between parallel universes. Her mission is to kill him in each one. She’s also trying to find one where her daughter, Anna (Grace Van Dien) is still alive. We then see part of her ritual is meeting Jonathan (Jim Cummings). They grab a drink and a woman recognizes her, unsettling Irene despite the woman's daughter pointing out the impossibility. Irene leaves with Jonathan, and they hook up in his truck, where she confesses this isn't their first encounter. This leaves him shocked.
Killing Neville isn’t always easy. There are many close calls. Things then all change when during one of these, Irene finds a young woman that he has kidnapped. This next victim is Mia (Stella Marcus). In saving her, Neville comes home and Irene misses her shot to kill him. This has happened before so she knows where he’s going. Mia wants revenge of her own and inquires about what she knows. This young woman is resourceful, to the point where she is given money but steals Irene’s gun in the process.
There are limited bullets and we see Mia trying to get more. She also hitches a ride with Darla (Dendrie Taylor). Mia won’t be stopped and this includes Irene. Irene’s loneliness and avoiding her own fate in the different worlds she’s visited. She decides to bring Mia along. But the price of revenge might be too high and their humanity hangs in the balance.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start then is that this is an interesting film. It is in part a character study of our leads, Irene and Mia. We are exploring what happens to the human psyche when you seek revenge. It also is questioning your purpose. I’ll also say that this isn’t a traditional horror film. While watching it, I wondered if it was. There are dark elements, whether it is what Neville does to his victims or just seeing the darkness of humanity as Irene and in turn Mia, loses theirs for this mission.
Let’s then start with looking at Irene who is immediately established as a depraved character, first watching a man burn, then shooting Neville repeatedly without remorse. The target's depravity is revealed later. After showcasing her viciousness, her humanity emerges through her need for connection with Jonathan and a chance at redemption with Mia. We learn her revenge mission is fueled by grief over Anna, underscoring the theme that it's never too late. It also has her avoiding her fate that is set in the other worlds. McManus's performance is excellent.
Then our other character to look at is Mia. She is a resourceful young woman that we first meet escaping the bathroom in Neville's house, coinciding with Irene's break-in. A product of the system and estimated to be 15 years old, Mia is determined to stop her captor from harming anyone else. Irene, though unable to decide for her, seeks to protect Mia's humanity. Marcus, in her debut feature film role, impressively embodies Mia.
The science fiction element revolves around parallel universes, not time travel, as Irene points out. Each world is different, and Irene desperately seeks one where Anna survived. Giving up hope, she continues only to punish Neville across these worlds, a tragic fate. She notes that her universe seems unique in discovering inter-world jumping. The approach is grounded, and when Irene's machine breaks, she meets the interesting duo, Billie (Taylor Misiak) and Travis (Michael Manuel). A key detail is hinted at concerning the power core and why Irene's machine failed.
Other themes than to bring up would be the correlation between this machine and the loop that Irene is in. It resembles a coffin. With the fate of a majority of her characters in each other seems that she’s stuck in that moment. It also does seem that Anna’s death is a canon event, no matter what world it needed to happen. You can also see the toxicity of Irene’s constant revenge and not wanting that for Mia. There is also this idea of running away from your problems by using this machine to just to different worlds.
That should be enough for the story so let’s shift over to the acting performances. I've already said how good McManus and Marcus are as our leads. Holm is good as well. What is interesting is that as our villain who does heinous acts, he disappears for stretches. He is this haunting specter. What is great though is that the tension ramps up at the end with something that happens when Irene and Mia split. Cummings, Misiak, Taylor and the rest of the cast do well to push our characters to where they end up as well.
Let’s then go over to the filmmaking aspects. This is well-made. What I like again is the low-fi jumping between the sections of the multiverse. It is grounded and believable. With that, I think that the cinematography and framing are great. The limited effects that we get are good as well. What they did looked to be mostly practical. The blood and bit of gore we got there looked real. If there is CGI, it was used to enhance which I appreciate. I’d say that the sound design and music also fit.
There is then one last section that I want to delve into and about this standing in horror. I would say that this is more of a crime, drama and sci-fi film first. The horror comes from the dread of knowing what Neville does and Irene needing to face him constantly. Then you add to that Mia learning the fate of a different version of her. When we get to the climax and the actions that lead us to the end, that is terrifying. I’ll say one last time, not traditional horror. If someone doesn’t include it, that makes sense. I will though as I feel we get enough.
In conclusion, this is a gripping and unique exploration of grief, vengeance, and the burden of humanity, deftly woven through a sci-fi framework. The McManus brothers deliver a taut, character-driven thriller anchored by superb performances from Michaela McManus and Marcus. While it defies easy categorization as traditional horror, the film offers a chilling look at the darkness within humanity, making its presence felt through psychological dread rather than jump scares. It’s a compelling, well-made indie feature that uses its low-fi multiverse concept to pose profound questions about obsession, fate, and the cost of escaping a canon event. I highly recommend seeking this one out.
My Rating: 9 out of 10