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| Images courtesy Saban Films |
A mother hunts her daughter’s kidnapper and murderer across the multiverse using a coddled together time device in the independent science fiction thriller, Redux Redux.
Initially screened at SXSW 2025, the film is a whip smart vengeance tale that capitalizes on its low budget and intriguing spin on the current trend of multiple universes. This is an emotionally captivating story that uses its low budget and excellent unknown cast to their full potential. Instead of relying on special effects and visual spectacle, directors Kevin and Matthew McManus spend their time weaving an interesting plot with actual stakes as the two leads seek differing means of closure.
Redux Redux spins a web of grief into a mind melting frenzy of violence that truthfully recreates the classic revenge saga through the lens of a grieving mother. What could have been another simplistic Death Wish retread, is instead a fresh revitalization that relies heavily on sci fi themes and elements. Never wasting time explaining the inner workings of their multiverse crossing machine, the brothers dedicate to creating characters and plot points that subvert our expectations. This is a down and dusty tale that spends most of its runtime expanding and exploring one mother’s search for answers outside her own original timeline. This ultimately plays like a companion piece to the original Terminator and Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor.
Where so many genre films get caught up in the details, explaining ad nauseam the functions and processes of their fictional science, Redux Redux begs us to just accept how it works and moves on to the importance of the story at hand. No expansion is needed. We understand the primary characters’ motivations and the ambiguity of their final product. Redux Redux is nowhere near perfection but definitely pushes beyond the expectations of most low budget genre fare. If anything, this film will make you think about actions and their potential violent consequences.
Wound tightly through careful editing along with an atmospheric synth score by Paul Koch, Redux Redux is an exploration of grief. Capping off with one of the best endings of the year so far, this is a wet dream for genre fandom and those that love realistic violence reminiscent of Jeremy Saulnier’s best work. Through slow and methodical pacing, Redux Redux at its best makes its audience crave more attentive cinema like this. This is creativity at its finest, never borrowing or stealing but reveling in its dedication to redefining the female vengeance tale. This deserves a watch in the cinema.
-CG