Redux Redux – Review

A low budget film with big ideas, Redux Redux has a lot going for it. It features a dark story and interesting technology twists. Don’t let a small budget turn you off if you are into Sci-Fi and crime flicks, as this one brings enough to keep it interesting.

The opening shot sends a chill down the viewer's spine, as a man tied to a chair burns to death in front of Irene Kelly (McManus). This quickly shifts to a bedroom floor struggle between Irene and Neville (Holm), a large man trying to choke her out. A gun lies nearby. Irene frees herself creatively and shoots the man. The man has a box of trophies under his bed.

Then it’s time to hit the diner for food, and Irene does just that, clearly unbothered by murdering someone. Who is this woman? What is she after? Why is she seemingly killing men left and right? She leaves the diner without ordering food, after spotting the cook, who looks like Neville. He leaves after his shift, and she follows his Mustang in her rental truck. Is this another flashback?

As the film proceeds, we begin to understand the overall plot and what is happening, time and time again. Irene has knowledge and tools, which help her progress in her mission: to kill Neville. Again, and again. But… if he is dead already, how is this happening?

Redux Redux offers a solid science fiction premise, and layers in plenty of darkness and moral questions. How far will one go to get revenge, and is your humanity at stake if you do it time and time again? How is Irene able to do what she does? Why do these events keep playing out, somewhat similarly but also differently?

While not everything is tied up with a bow by the end, the film’s plot is not bad, and the acting works just fine despite no typical stars. It is a story about the hunter and the hunted, and paints a bleak picture of revenge. When one is lost in a repeated bloodlust, is this better than wallowing in grief, and how does one move on from this crazy circle of death?

The lack of big budget antics does not hamper this film much. I imagine some plot thread explorations were only so possible as the Sci-Fi elements were probably more expensive to produce, but it remains a good watch despite of this. The crime and ethical dilemma elements are the main focus, and they are bolstered by the story ideas and decent performances.