Review of Project Almanac (2015) by Greg B — 29 Jan 2015

"Project Almanac" is the latest sci-fi epic from director Michael Bay that I was able to see a free advance screening of at Muvico Starlight 20 in New Tampa. On the whole, this is one of the best found footage films I've seen, nearly on par with "Paranormal Activity.

" The film has a simple premise and doesn't try to be anything more than it is. It doesn't purport to be better thank "Back to the Future," and it's the sheer humility presented by the film that makes it so good.

In the film, a teenage boy named David discovers his departed father's blueprints for a time machine, and he and his friends build it. The first half is euphoric for them; they are able to use the time travel to their advantage for financial gain and to better their lives.

However, as chance would have it, some inadvertent ripple effects occur in the second half, and the tension and stakes in the film escalate as more and more variables come into play. The last 20 minutes sets the scene for the culmination of all the events in the movie.

This was one of the more suspenseful films I've seen in recent years, and considering that amateur actors were in the film, I thought they did pretty serviceable acting. I thought this film was excellent and it actually exceeded my expectations ------------------------------------------------ B+.