Retro Film Review: Slipstream (2005)

It is increasingly challenging to discover fresh and innovative elements in films revolving around time travel. Slipstream, a 2005 science fiction film directed by Peter van Eyssen, initially presents itself as a rare gem in this genre. The narrative, voiced by the film's protagonist Stuart Conway (played by Sean Astin), endeavours to elucidate the concept and its practical implications. Conway, a reserved, unassuming, and geeky physicist working in a clandestine government laboratory, has devised and crafted a miniature time travel device. This device enables him to rewind time by ten minutes, prompting him to visit a bank to optimise its utility through repeated cash withdrawals and to explore the most effective methods to charm a beautiful bank teller. Unbeknownst to him, he is under surveillance by Sarah Tanner (played by Ivana Milicevic) and Jake Hallman (played by Kevin Otto), two FBI agents tasked with monitoring him as part of routine security protocols. Both Conway and the agents are caught off guard when the bank falls victim to a robbery orchestrated by the volatile Briggs (played by Vinnie Jones). The ensuing chaos, gunfire, casualties, and Conway's deployment of his device to avert further catastrophe unfold dramatically.

Initially, the unconventional, nerdy protagonist and the equally unconventional use of the time travel device hint at a unique cinematic experience, suggesting that the scientific premise will not be exploited as a mere gimmick in a lacklustre action flick. However, these aspirations fade as the storyline transitions to the bank, where a foreseeable heist is followed by a predictable shootout. As the film progresses, the audience is treated to a spectacular road collision, a hostage crisis, and a passenger jet crashing into a mountain. Van Eyssen skillfully directs these sequences, albeit occasionally succumbing to a penchant for MTV-style "coolness," a choice that falls short of expectations, particularly when coupled with an occasionally grating musical score. Despite Ivana Milicevic's miscasting as a tough federal agent and Vinnie Jones being typecast as a psychopathic gangster, it is Astin who anchors the film, making it tolerable for viewers. Shot in South Africa on a modest budget, Slipstream possessed the potential to transcend its current status as a blend of a poor man’s The Matrix and Groundhog Day.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

(Note: Original version of the review is available here.)

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