XLrator Media | Release Date: May 15, 2015
6.6
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 44 Ratings
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25
Mixed:
16
Negative:
3
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7
quincytheodoreMay 30, 2015
The addiction of getting your photo taken. For a low budget flick, Time Lapse has a nifty way to hook interest from audience. Its time traveling premise is pretty unique even though it is done with modest production value. Using only a coupleThe addiction of getting your photo taken. For a low budget flick, Time Lapse has a nifty way to hook interest from audience. Its time traveling premise is pretty unique even though it is done with modest production value. Using only a couple of sets and actors, it pushes the plot one day at a time. As other mind bending movies, the plot twist can be hard to digest at times and the inconsistent acting does hamper the movie at mid-way point, though the photo finish still looks good.

Three friends living in an apartment complex find a secret of their neighbor. What looks to be a prank at first is actually a device to capture images of the future. They experiment with it and soon discover a way to make profit. but the opportunity is short live as other parties are drawn by curiosity and the secret is deteriorating their relationships. The cast contains only several characters which put pressure for the main leads to deliver drama as well as sci-fi narrative.

The actors are mostly known for television shows or supporting roles. Danielle Panabaker (from The Flash series) as Callie is decent but can be a bit rigid at times. She performs well in first half, yet as the movie demands more layers to the character, she delivers different emotions with the same delivery. It's the same problem with the other male leads, the characters development might seem abrupt at times.

Concept of the time travel works well, following a certain interesting pattern. Soon they realize fiddling with time takes a lot of commitment, not to mention they must go to such length to keep it hidden and functioning. The movie creates a good tension as both repercussion and gain from the machine gradually escalate. Problem arises when the concept gets too complicated towards later half, it has to explain the quirky mechanics in relatively short time which may prove to be convoluted.

Time Lapse makes the best from its moderate production value. while it may not be picture perfect, it's definitely a nice shot of sci-fi genre.
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1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
suity_saharJun 28, 2015
Very very average acting here. But I am glad I saw it through. It never really got boring because something was always happening and the ending was not predictable at all here. I believe the director got enough out of this low budget film butVery very average acting here. But I am glad I saw it through. It never really got boring because something was always happening and the ending was not predictable at all here. I believe the director got enough out of this low budget film but the acting prevents this film from being great. A good movie none the less. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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6
dangerfarSep 14, 2015
An interesting premise that somewhat squanders the philosophical quandaries that could be potentially drawn from it, Time Lapse is still certainly an entertaining movie with a nontraditional plot arc, which is in of itself good enough for aAn interesting premise that somewhat squanders the philosophical quandaries that could be potentially drawn from it, Time Lapse is still certainly an entertaining movie with a nontraditional plot arc, which is in of itself good enough for a recommendation. It's first third is fairly sloppy, with cringe worthy writing and acting and bewildering camera work that almost had me wanting to turn it off. Thankfully it's able to recover significantly once it's done setting everything up and things begin to turn sinister. The second 2/3's of the movie have many moments of well-orchestrated tension, and it's never plain what will lie around each corner, leading the viewer to experience a near constant mix of surprise and suspense, a rare feat for any movie.

What it does well in suspense and plot it lacks in character development. The acting has a pretty wide range from terrible to good, but the characters themselves are flat and have motivations that essentially exist to serve the plot. No one feels real. As they begin to contemplate just how much control they have over their lives and feel like someones pulling their strings, so do we get the feeling they are only doing what they're doing because it makes for more interesting screen time.

And interesting it is. Perhaps not as interesting as it could have been though. For instance, the film skirts along the surface of exploring the nature of causality, but never really dives in. The characters just make broad assumptions that they shouldn't "cross" time, a dubious assumption to be sure, and thus disappointingly attempt to fulfill a predicted future rather than challenge the status quo. Thus some real meat is left on the bone as it turns out the premise, like the characters, exist merely to serve the plot and push it forward.

On the spectrum of time travel movies I'd put it somewhere above Triangle and well below Primer, probably around Looper or Coherence. It's an intriguing white-knuckled romp, but the frustrating characters and writing, uneven acting, and slothful first 1/3 keep it from greatness.
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0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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8
Tss5078Jan 11, 2016
How well do you really know your neighbors? When Callie and Finn's elderly neighbor passes away, they are left to clean out his apartment and what they find is more than a little disturbing. Next to some strange device is a wall withHow well do you really know your neighbors? When Callie and Finn's elderly neighbor passes away, they are left to clean out his apartment and what they find is more than a little disturbing. Next to some strange device is a wall with thousands of pictures of them! At first they think the man was just a pervert, until the next day when they realize the machine is a camera that is taking a picture of their apartment, 24 hours into the future. With the help of their friend, Jasper, the couple decides to use the technology to get rich, but it doesn't take long for the local criminal element to realize what's going on, and try to take a piece of it. Most writer/directors don't hit a homerun their first time out, but in this case, with the help of a young up and coming cast, that's exactly what Bradley King did. This film is very engaging and has you on the edge of your seat, combined with an utterly shocking ending, this is the kind of film that you will still be thinking about days later. It's amazing to me that something of this quality was never released in theaters, but it is just as good, if not better than any thing you'll see on the big screen. The one drawback is that it does take a little while to get moving, hence the bad reviews from people who can't give a film more than twenty minutes, but once it gets started, Time Lapse quickly grabs hold and never lets go. It is refreshingly original and has a young cast that is every bit as intense as the film itself. Expand
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10
kf62w6Sep 11, 2015
Mind blowing! Twist at every turn! I know that sounds cliche but few movies can actually have you not knowing what is next. The writer did something that has never been tried before and the director brought it to life. This movie will becomeMind blowing! Twist at every turn! I know that sounds cliche but few movies can actually have you not knowing what is next. The writer did something that has never been tried before and the director brought it to life. This movie will become a classic. Expand
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10
DarylZer0Aug 3, 2015
Regardless of the budget, this is a very good movie. It's well acted, tragic, great music and well directed, And I loved the end sequence. I liked this better than 'Looper'.
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7
ItalianAug 22, 2015
Not bad for the budget. I would have expanded the story in a different way but I liked some of the ideas. The acting seems unreal sometimes but I liked the actors...
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4
shiftworkerAug 22, 2016
TV movie quality. Sci-fi time travel potential soon gives way to gambling then fear and intimidation, putting relationships under stress and leaving little for me to like. I saw it through only because I vaguely wondered what happened next,TV movie quality. Sci-fi time travel potential soon gives way to gambling then fear and intimidation, putting relationships under stress and leaving little for me to like. I saw it through only because I vaguely wondered what happened next, but it never really made me care. Expand
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7
EpicSurvivorJun 23, 2020
For low budget film this movie was pretty good. I was surprised because I thought It would become one of those movies that you stop watching half way through because its boring but this movie is not like that. To me is not a 7 its a solid 6.5For low budget film this movie was pretty good. I was surprised because I thought It would become one of those movies that you stop watching half way through because its boring but this movie is not like that. To me is not a 7 its a solid 6.5 worth watching tho. Expand
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3
AverageJoelFeb 14, 2021
An incels dream movie. The writing of this movie is so bad I wasted 2 hours of my life laughing with my wife just judging it. Budget is not the problem here, the concept is cool, but the writing and cast just don't work, royalty free music,An incels dream movie. The writing of this movie is so bad I wasted 2 hours of my life laughing with my wife just judging it. Budget is not the problem here, the concept is cool, but the writing and cast just don't work, royalty free music, actors that look like they come straight from shutterstock...cringe compilation. Expand
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