Review of Flashback (2021) by Umaumai — 24 Jul 2021

This movie hits the ground running and expects that you are ready without questions during its hour and thirty six minute runtime. The problem is I have nothing but questions after watching it. It’s atmosphere and filming aesthetic are rich and compelling, but the meandering storytelling isn’t.

I won’t spoil it, there is an interesting and fresh take on what “time” is that I found momentarily compelling here. My biggest problem with the movie is it’s one that try’s hard at times to hit that sweet spot where the dialogue has weight as if it’s being carved in stone while it’s being delivered on screen, but the devices used to move the plot forward come off as cliché and obvious.

You also don’t really have time to build a relationship with any of the characters, but the movie is always leaning into the absolutely creepy vibe they achieved and it put me on edge the entire time I was watching.

I’m not sure that I cared that I was missing character development until after I was done viewing it. You hardly get much backstory for the lead yet you are thrown in different situations that don’t always connect to the main thrust of the story that you are guided through.

All of that said I still enjoyed it. It got a very big reaction from me at the end that I didn’t expect. The melancholy score really helped with that. The movie is very nicely put together on the whole, beautiful even at certain points to look at.

I don’t know who I’d recommend this for as I don’t think I’ll ever watch it again, but if you want to be mildly chilled without any real scares I’d check this out.