Altered Hours

Like other viewers, I found it confusing to watch the first time. However, I know that I tend to be a linear thinker and movies that present alternate time lines almost always require a second viewing from me. I really empathized with Will, the main character, and that is important to me in any movie I watch or book that I read. I was ready to hate both Michelle and Jay, but the ending made a lot clear to me and I forgave them at the end. I won't say what television show this movie reminded me of, especially at the end, but it's one of the few movies that I really feel could use a sequel.

So, yeah. It wasn't a perfect movie and some of the script was pretty rough. But overall, considering the relative neophyte status of the writers, I was suitably impressed enough to be willing to give their future work a second look.

I'm glad I gave it a shot. It's better than the reviews would lead you to believe. Lately I have started to bypass the reviews and watch based only on the description. This movie does require you to pay attention, or you may get confused. There are a lot of jumps in the story, like any good movie about time travel paradox. If you can put the iPad down and just enjoy the movie it's worth the watch.

Positive reviews for this film are forgiving and I think based mostly on concepts only pointed at by the film, not actually realized. Yes, the premise is great, but the impetus of the movie shifts and the acting is spotty at best. I don't mind having to figure things out as I go--that can be the appeal of a film--but the cast and crew seemed to also be developing their vision as they filmed. Most important is that the co-star's character is sorely underdeveloped given the crusader she emerges as in the end. They recall bits of the movie that were to have foreshadowed this, but the effect flops. Somewhat similarly, the main character's motive for using Z has to be stated explicitly at the end. While it makes total sense with the movie content, he's too much of a mystery otherwise to triangulate/confirm. What's less of an issue, but still sticks out is the poor acting of the inexplicable villain and the absurdly, grotesquely incompetent acting of the detective. It's probably not all the fault of the actor, though, as no one seemed to have a clue what was or was not supposed to be driving the film, which also contributed to the empty acting and tedium.

So, here we are, yet again, another review of a movie that could've not been made and the world wouldn't have skipped a beat.

The story is interesting enough and the movie is shot well for the most part.

Where it all falls apart and just swirls down the drain like a treatment of drano is the cast. That's right, all the actors and actresses, and I use those words very lightly, is just awful. Not one of them, well there's one, but none of the rest have any redeeming qualities and they all get very annoying and on your nerves at some point. Now, I said there was one, the cooky professor scientist. He's actually got redeeming qualities and plays his part well. The rest of them? Well there's probably a pretty good reason you have never heard of them or seen them in anything else.

I'd say skip it, there's better stuff out there, but if you're having a hard time finding something, you could fall on this one smh give it a watch. There's worse things you could watch or be doing.

Was drawn into seeing 'Altered Hours' with a cool poster/cover, a very intriguing and creative premise (one of the most innovative for any film seen recently) and as someone with a general appreciation for the genre. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive.

'Altered Hours' is a film it doesn't do enough with its potential (although there are far bigger wastes of potential in film) and could have been much better, can't say that it is a great film because it isn't. It is not a terrible film though, as far as recent low-budget film viewings go it's a difficult one to rate and review but with good things. It certainly could have been far worse, considering the large number of films seen recently being mediocre at best and irredeemably terrible at worst.

Starting with the positives, there is an eeriness to the scenery and some of the lighting. Parts are nicely shot. The music didn't seem inappropriate or intrusive and it didn't feel too much of one mood. The lead acting is not bad, there is an air of competence and generally it was better than average.

It is not a dull film and enough of it is suspenseful and intriguing, not feeling bland or predictable. The start is promising and the ending was a thankful departure from the huge amount of confused, abrupt, easily foreseeable and ludicrous endings seen recently in my film watching.

However, some of the supporting acting agreed is pretty woeful, especially for the villain, hamminess and monotony at their worst. Too much of 'Altered Hours' looks cheap too, very confused editing and the camera work looks rushed.

Found the characters too underdeveloped, even the protagonist, to properly care about them. The script is too much of an underwritten first-draft, with cheesiness and a lack of clarity that translates also in some of the story. Suspense doesn't come consistently in the middle, where things bog down a little, and parts are muddled.

Overall, difficult to rate and review but didn't feel like my time was wasted. 5/10 Bethany Cox