Search - Feedback on DVD

Engaging sci-fi movie

PM | NEW YORK, NY United States | 02/28/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I caught this late one night on Showtime and was really captivated. The plot line is very simple as are the sets, the characters, and the production of the movie itself. The actors are all no-names and some of the acting shows it. But overall the acting is transparent enough not to interfere with the characters themselves. The music is high-energy techno and all original it seems.

As the other reviewers said, the movie is about a phone that can dial up to 6 hours into the past (the past only) allowing the phone caller to change past, current, and future events. It does this because its creators discovered all time occurs at once, essentially now. Now is the present is the future is the past, etc., etc. All time is now. It's a great premise and allows the director much freedom.

Since there is no actual physical time travel, the movie avoids the usual pitfalls of films of this genre - transporting into time into a rock, let's say; transporting back or forward and meeting yourself; or what exactly would a time machine look like and how would you control it? The phone simply allows you to place a phone call to any time you desire within the previous 6 hours. The one thing you supposedly cannot do, we are warned, is call yourself. That would create a feedback loop (hence the name of the film) . With this description of the nature of time, the film presents a new, refreshing take on time travel.

The movie starts with one of the 3 main characters having discovered the phone. From there he and his friends try to profit from the phone by changing the past after they know the outcome. It's clever and the way the film develops from each of these attempts to alter the past is handled well.

The film is dark and fairly violent. The main characters have skeletons in the closet and unsavory people from their past, both of which come back to haunt them. Also, people literally kill to get this phone. The main characters all get killed at least once. To be fair, this phone gives the owner massive power, so perhaps the degree of violence in the director's vision is warranted. Most people probably won't find the violence offensive, but I think it is sufficiently apparent to point out.

My objections to the violence notwithstanding, the movie is clever enough that, in the end, perhaps the killing actually doesn't even occur! Say what? I mean, if they kill to get the phone back, then call back into time to prevent the person they killed from ever getting the phone in the first place, they would never have to kill the person since they would prevent the person from ever getting the phone. Right?!? Herein lies the beauty of this movie. It is very simple, very open-ended, and very believable. In fact, you'll probably need to watch it a few times to fully piece it together. Even after many viewings you still don't know what truly happens in the end.

I think a slightly less dark vision, while keeping the suspense, could have made the movie better. But I still highly recommend this film for its novel approach to an age-old idea and its refreshing, well-written script."

Science Fiction without all the Crappy Effects

scifi_movieman | los angeles, CA USA | 10/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Something of a guilty pleasure, but to me, this is what science fiction is all about: a real story, based on a "what-if" concept, effecting realistic characters in a tight drama. It's pretty well acted, but what I like is how the movie explores a smart idea without hitting all the same beats that bigger budget movies do. If I could call myself on a special phone six hours in the past, I'd recommend this movie to myself as well as everybody else."

Not bad, complicated in places, but watchable!

Vlitch Godunov | Birmingham, MI United States | 09/30/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This movie is just one of those B-movie wonders that spring out by the dozen over the course of the year. They aren't made to really affect you in any way, but moreover are created to hopefully illuminate the careers of either some budding young actors, or rekindle those of some Hollywood has-beens! Well, 'Feedback' is the tale of how a trip back in time via a phone line can either save lives or change destiny's - for the better or for the worse! Sure, it's all been done before and sure the phone used is just silly, but the premise is interesting, the acting solid and the ending worthwhile!"