The Infinite Man (2014) Reviews

• Ultimately, the film is just a ton of fun

  basil19842014-04-09

  With a cast of 3 and barely more than one location, first-time feature filmmaker (and writer), Hugh Sullivan, has woven together a topsy-turvy time travel film that falls somewhere between 'Primer' and 'Groundhog Day'. The initial impression is of pure comedy with time travel as the incidental extreme that the main character (played by a fantastic Josh McConville) is willing to go to in order to keep control over his love life. The result is a complex, infinite loop that wowed me with every twist and turn. Though never stepping over the line into 'Thriller' or serious 'Science-Fiction', the logic of the storyline is mathematically maddening and the film does consider some truly heavy existential ideas like the result of jealousy on relationships and how fear of change and the desire to control others is almost always counterproductive. Ultimately, the film is just a ton of fun and, though it perfectly fits within the supposed film-festival mold, even the most novice of movie-goers would get a huge kick out of this one.

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• A unique time-travel experience that shows lows budgets do work

  punishable-by-death2014-10-12

  Now this here is one a trip of a movie. Made locally in my home state of South Australia, it does a fantastic job of managing a meager budget, using basically one or two sets, and only three actors. And that is all that is needed. I had read about this making the round at festivals and getting almost universal praise, and I can certainly see why. This is definitely not your average time travel movie, nor is it very sappy or sentimental at all, despite the romantic reasons driving the film. This romantic basis becomes not so romantic as the main character, a fantastic Josh McConville (Dean), plays an obsessive control freak, intent on recreating a perfect holiday from a year previous for his partner Lana. Lana scoffs at the idea and comments on Dean's obsessive and controlling nature, but seeing his invention, she becomes intrigued. From here, the story travels into unexplored territory regarding time-travel flicks, as when the characters begin to time-travel, they start to see.. versions of themselves, from the past.. or the future. The original couple witness themselves repeating the same dialogue from the start of the film, but here, they are watching nervously from a window in the abandoned hotel that serves as the film's main set. Once more and more versions of Dean start to appear, it reeeally starts to become a trip, and somewhat of a puzzle. Dean starts becomes jealous of… himself, albeit himself from the future, as each different Dean has his own traits, and each time he time-travels he becomes more confident, leading to more jealousy from the original Dean. The way McConville plays these parts is particularly noteworthy, as he essentially plays three or four characters.. as the same person. The jealously he shows towards other versions of himself is quite hilarious. In fact, there were many laughs along these lines. Dean is nerdy – he built this machine – and he is also prone to crying; fodder for more laughter. A sudden twist occurs with the sudden appearance of Dean's partner's ex-lover, who wants his girl back. This self-obsessed, brilliantly conceived character is yet more food for laughs. He is an Aussie Greek who is rather amusingly obsessed with his Olympic level javelin skills (a javelin he carries with him where ever he goes, it would seem), and of his proud Greek heritage. He considers himself a Greek god… despite the fact that he isn't actually Greek. Despite dressing, acting, and looking Greek. What makes his character really work is that he is essentially the polar opposite to Dean, leaving Lana unsure of the man she wants to be with. With unpredictable scenes following unpredictable scenes, this is really a movie that forces you to think, while laughing, and feeling for Dean's character. It also shows the consequences of trying to control everything, even to the point of time travel. It also subtly comments on two very different men, and how they interact with each other, as well as the love of both their lives. Lana is faced with a choice, but how can she know which Dean is the one she first arrived with at the abandoned hotel? And does she want her old spark's bravado, or Dean's brains? I really enjoyed this one, apart from the ending, which felt abrupt and had me thinking "nooo! this can't be it!". I thought they could have played the funny and intriguing concept a little further, but I can definitely see why this got the attention it did. It is a fascinating puzzle of a movie, one which I want to see again as soon as I can so I can piece it all together. It is certainly one of those movies that thoroughly deserves multiple viewings, despite its low-budget, a single set, and three actors. It is this economic filmmaking that makes the film a real treat, as the limited budget does not limit the movie at all, in fact, a limited budget almost always breeds creativity in my opinion. That is certainly the case here, as Hugh Sullivan has created a gem of a movie, intensely unique and praised around the world. If only it got more recognition in the state in was filmed in. 4/5 – Filled with laughs and intrigue, but one can't help that the ending was lack-lustre and very abrupt. Apart from this minor gripe, this is a fantastic film. Highly recommended.

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• an enjoyable but unusual romantic comedy with time travel

  gregking42014-08-22

  This is the second local production to feature time travel as a key narrative device. But unlike Predestination, the concept here is used as a plot device to kick start an enjoyable but unusual romantic comedy. Dean (Josh McConville, from The Turning, etc) is a nerdy engineer whose relationship with the more free spirited Lana ended a couple of years ago. Keen to try and make a new start Dean invites Lana back to the hotel where they once spent an idyllic holiday. But now the hotel is deserted, and the weekend begins to go badly. The unexpected arrival of the arrogant and sleazy Terry (Alex Dimitriades), Lana's former boyfriend, further ruins the mood. Dean spends the better part of the next year brooding over what went wrong. He constructs a time travel device hoping that he can revisit that weekend again and repair the relationship with Lana. But something goes awry and he finds himself trapped in a temporal loop. The presence of four other incarnations of himself, and a couple of other Lana's from the future, further complicate matters. There are only three actors on screen, playing multiple versions of themselves, and the action is confined to a single location, but somehow that doesn't seem to matter. McConville brings a nicely intense edge and a touch of self-deprecating humour to his performance as the nerdy and sad sack Dean desperate to restore his relationship with Lana. Hannah Marshall (from TV series Packed To The Rafters, etc)delivers a nicely nuanced performance as the patient Lana, while Dimitriades is wonderfully sleazy and cocky. First time filmmaker Hugh Sullivan makes the most of his limited budget, and stretches his meagre resources effectively. And I found The Infinite Man to be far more entertaining and enjoyable that Predestination, and when dealing with the paradoxes of time travel it seems to have an internal logic that works. It also seems to have more energy and humour, and likable characters.

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• A clever idea for a film that got a bit too ahead of itself.

  thefix992014-08-04

  The production was of a very high level, excellent sound and visuals- nice cinematography. Clearly a lot of thought went into the script, but in its quest to be intellectual, sacrificed some of the humanity of the characters. A lot of the quirks of the characters, the way the male lead ran, the vintage clothes, the references to Greek mythology and tantra all seemed very forced. Important philosophical questions about identity, why we love someone at different times in our lives and why/when we should give up on someone were partially raised but never really explored. By the end of it, I felt like a lot had happened, but I didn't care about the characters at all - I hardly got to know them. All in all, it felt like it was all style and little substance.

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• A good time travel movie that never becomes great

  JurijFedorov2018-09-24

  This is a silly version of Primer (2004). So if you like this concept go check it out right now. This movie is one of these kind of movies that I have a hard time rating. The work that is put into this script is incredible. It's amazing how the writers could keep track of all the different versions of the same person and make sure everything was structured logically. This is very impressive! 10/10 structure. Now, here is the problem. While it's a great structure it's at the same time not a great movie. It's really not possible to keep track of all the different characters and the movie does tend to just continue complicate the time travel. There are more and more versions of the same man and woman in the same time. They keep interacting with each other. The relationship between the couple and between the characters overall is not what kept me watching. That was just basic people that weren't that exciting and didn't even seem in love or care for each other. They were just stuck. The movie takes place in one single deserted hotel. That does make it a bit less complicated than if there were other people but it also makes it feel empty. And when the actors don't seem in love it becomes a problem. I sense no passion. It's a comedic version of Primer. Pretty much as hard to understand and as focused on the concept and not the movie or characters. So if you love Primer you will love this. I rated both 7/10 but really only liked them to a 6/10. This movie also is not really a funny movie as such. I think I laughed at one joke maybe? The lipstick joke. Besides that it was about characters and their suffering so there was not much to smile at as such. You mostly try to keep track of the different characters but there is just no way to do that easily. It's more simple than Primer in that there are no real world besides these 3 characters but that doesn't mean that I remember every action. The time traveling versions do have to wear exactly the same clothes to fit in which makes it really hard to know the difference between them. A movie is supposed to at least be mostly understood. If you like time travel movies you should for sure check this out. It's a comedic and over the top Primer with only 3 actors all in all. It's worth a watch because the concept is just that clever. But unfortunately it never becomes truly fun to watch as everything is about the concept. There is little time for any love and everything seems stuck in its place as it is designed to be. It does irritate me to not really see much if any character development. I think the concept needs to be resused again but in a simple maner where at least the hardcore movie nerds can keep track of things. But on the other hand these kind of movies have a clear place in the movie world and I'm going to watch them all just to admire the structure. I won't want to rewatch them though and I won't feel a connection to the characters either even though the actors were good. Impressive work that doesn't fully implement the emotional and directional part of a typical movie structure.

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