Time Renegades was an entertaining if flawed movie. Two men 32 years apart share memories during their dreams after each had a near death experience.

This film had a strong cast which helped gloss over some of the bigger plot holes. I liked the premise of the story even if it was used erratically. A school teacher in 1983 tried to stop a serial killer using knowledge from a detective in 2015. Geon Woo, the detective, researched past murders which didn’t do much for the present but helped Ji Hwan in the past. Only one character attempted to use Geon Woo’s connection in a more direct manner, something I thought Geon Woo would do. There were a couple of serious lapses in logic and continuity for dramatic effect. One moment which I’m sure was meant to be melodramatically devastating actually made me laugh at its obviousness and relatively low stakes.

The film was strongest in the past, largely due to Jo Jung Suk’s performance as the grieving teacher determined to alter the deadly course of events set in motion. Ji Hwan’s love for the children and desire to avenge a death made for great motivation. Geon Woo’s romantic entanglement with So Eun felt less well developed. While there was no physical time traveling, the consciousness of the men traveled as needed. The ending was the type that I like the least in this genre and one that makes the least sense to me.

Despite my reservations, I enjoyed this film as the two men tried to undo the tragedies of the past and the echoes of death and despair in the present. The film maintained a consistent stream of action so that it was never boring. Some of the performances were better than others. The Teflon villain became almost comical as he survived endless attempts to stop or at least slow him down. The movie’s solution was novel and felt like a nod to Back to the Future, if a more deadly nod. Time Renegades may not have been a dream come true, but this dream weaver was engrossing if not thrilling.

28 May 2024