7 Splinters in Time

The concept of a quantum multiverse within the context of time travel is difficult to grasp for many, but when it is encased in a multi-layered highly stylized project like this, I can see why it is having difficulty finding an audience.

As the title suggests, this is loosely about time travel and the requisite paradoxes that come with such stories, but it is also about altered states of reality and perception. Judet-Weinshel uses the 'Memento' style of temporal discord with rapid jumps between points in time to keep the audience off balance, but then he layers on top of it a mix of surrealistic dialogue just to invoke a sense of the ambiguous psychosis that the protagonist is feeling. Then he throws in a mix of realist vs. fantastical style elements to deepen the complexity of the presentation.

At first I didn't understand the purpose of the fantastical technology elements ( e.g., the flying machine), then I realized that each character was associated with a different artistic stylization. Weird. I've never seen that before -- usually different stylizations are used to depict different places or sometimes different states of mind (e.g., dream sequences), but to pin a variety of styles to each of the characters is really original. This was a difficult project to choose to introduce such a new method, but most of the audience is going to be lost anyway so why not?

Great job, Gabriel! Ambitious and groundbreaking. Maybe in a decade or so the innovation in this project will be more appreciated.

Triggers: Violence - weapons, homicide by the protagonist Strobe effects Drug use

Actually wanted to like '7 Splinters in Time'. The concept was great and there were some really interesting ideas here. Decided to not be swayed by the low rating and lukewarm at best reviews, which did admittedly make me nervous, and see it because there was a good deal of potential here.

'7 Splinters in Time' however managed to be yet another big potential waste and to be a very bad, disappointing film in its own right. It may work for some (will not hold that against anybody who falls under this category), but there are many reasons why it won't work for most, already summed up quite well here. Films revolving around time travel have been very variable, some are good, great even, others are not so good or worse. '7 Splinters in Time' is one of the worst. Was expecting actually to be challenged, engrossed and to have my thought process provoked. Was instead left confused, bored and almost insulted.

There are some nice shots and some atmospheric lighting but that is pretty much it in '7 Splinters in Time's' favour.

It's the story that fails the most here in a film full of failures. It feels over-stretched and like there was nowhere near enough content to fill it, though there are attempts to hide that with overlong and needless padding and including too many things most of which adding nothing or saying nothing new or interesting. Am not easily confused watching films, structurally and narratively '7 Splinters in Time' is incomprehensible with so much glossed over, underdeveloped or unexplained that trying to make sense of all the vagueness is hard.

Nothing new is done with the time travel or personalities and they don't compel or make one feel anything. It all feels bland and bizarre, with a mix of taking things too seriously and being plain silly and weird. On top of that the mystery element lacks suspense or anything unsettling of any kind and has nothing to it, by the time some kind of effort is done with one has stopped caring. The whole thing has a self-indulgent "trying too hard to be something that it's not and making something bigger of limited resources" feel.

Dialogue is verbose and awkward-sounding, the viewer feels like their brains are going in circles trying to understand it sometimes. The characters don't engage or endear the audience at all with sketchy at best development. The direction reeks of "biting much more than they can chew", the pacing is deadly dull from all the padding and aimless going nowhere storytelling and the acting is more wooden than marionettes.

All in all, very bad, a great concept and ideas ruined by bland, dull and incoherent execution. 2/10 Bethany Cox

An utterly failed attempt to make something like predestination

With the story line could have made something better with no lag of Time and unnecessary flashbacks which are not helpful in any way to viewers

The movie fails to keep the viewer in front of the screen Hence I don't think everyone who start watching the movie shall come to know the story

The portrayal of time travel is the worst you can see in any sci fi movie

Not sure if other reviewers agree, but I got a vibe of Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985), particularly during the rants of "John Luka".

I didn't enjoy this a great deal, especially the grating and obnoxious score. It never lets up. I got the impression that the film changed direction a few times in the editing room. It was initially completed in 2014 before being re-edited over the next four years.

I must confess that with about 25 minutes to go, I paused the film to read some reviews to see if I could make sense of it. Within a few seconds of restarting, the librarian character explained everything! So hang in there if you get that far :-)

This movie is really pretty confusing for the first 50 minutes, and yet, I could not look away, but I absolutely get why others hate it. While it seemed it was just convoluted for the sake of being convoluted, it actually has a reason, but that doesn't make it any less disorienting and confusing at times. Somebody said this isn't philosophical, wow are they wrong, this movie is incredibly philosophical, there is a lot going on here with a lot of different theories on time travel and other scientific theories that have been touched on in scifi, but I do feel this movie has a unique take, despite it's clear influences. I would argue it is more a philosophical movie than a time travel movie, but I guess, watch it and decide for yourself. This has the makings of a cult classic, it really is a very unique watch and it is absolutely not for everyone.

I am not sure why some have said the acting, cinematography, or effects were not good, I did not find that to be the case. The visual aesthetic is pretty fantastic given this movie likely didn't cost more than $50,000, if that. Yes, the music can be a bit overbearing at times, that might be the one complaint I have about it, but most of it suits the movie and gives it a unique feel, the score itself is good. The color pallet is a bit washed out and yellowish, and the settings feel very old. I am just really intrigued at how they accomplished such a unique look and feel on such a low budget, the movie looks really good.

Again, especially given the budget, I really felt they did a fantastic job. I don't know what else to say really because I don't want to ruin the story, or the numerous twists and turns.