The Shift

A religious movie about a man named Kevin who is transported into another world and uses god to get out.

Honestly this movie was really not that good. I went into this movie blind, as an atheist so this is a little biased. Don't get me wrong the movie started off so interesting and had so much potential. It had a super interesting plot however, it just fell very flat. It became so focused on the religious message that the plot fell apart and just wasn't as exciting. For someone of the religion it may have been more exciting however it just fell apart.

The story itself had a lot of holes too. For instance the ending doesn't completely work, the shifting has some holes in it as well. It isn't completely explained and while they do explain a lot, it still feels confusing.

The soundtrack is also pretty bad. It is the most basic religious movie soundtrack and it really doesn't add that much to the movie.

The acting however is very good. Every character does a good job and really puts in a lot of emotion that makes the story more bareable.

In conclusion, the movie was not very good. It had such a fascinating concept that is overruled by an over religious path as well as story holes and a boring soundtrack.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I heard about this movie. I almost didn't go to the screening; I don't see many movies in theaters anyway. I am so glad I went to see this movie in the theater. It's deep, impactful, and has stuck with me for days. I'm not necessarily a sci-fi or faith movie fan, and you don't need to be to enjoy this movie. Its faith element is very subtle. I plan to see the movie again on opening weekend in theaters with a couple of friends. The woman who plays the lead in the movie was absolutely breathtaking. If you want to see a real, heartfelt, well-made film this year, don't miss this one.

This film is a parallel to Job from the Bible. Truth is, watching this film made me feel like I was being punished. It was that bad. I felt like I was Job. I leaned over to my wife and asked if she wanted to leave the theater. In our fifteen years of marriage I have never done that. The film was too long. Too boring. Too scattered. Didn't make sense. And lacked cohesion and rhythm. It's hard to describe how bad it was. I do like some of the messages portrayed here. But it was essentially a mix of Dr Strange, hallmark, marvel multiverse, and a Christian background. It didn't feel like a sci-fi or a romance or a drama. It didn't know what it was. So it ended up being very poor.

Art is an invitation. Films that ask questions, that challenge us and provoke us and compel us to explore inner depths, those are the films we find ourselves contemplating and discussing long after the final credits have rolled.

The Shift is one of these films.

Written and directed by Brock Heasley and coming to us through Angel Studios, the production company best known for the groundbreaking television series, The Chosen, The Shift stays true to the spirit of its writer, director, and producers. It asks deep questions and makes bold decisions, pushing deep into a genre that is woefully under-represented in Christian art. While Marvel relentlessly releases film after film of cookie-cutter pablum, and the formerly beloved Star Wars franchise vomits out enough inferior recycled content to make us scream, "enough already," Heasley and Angel Studios have created what will hopefully be will be the first of many original films-movies with that smaller independent touch that allow us to experience something new and engage in a dialog of issues vital to the human condition. This is an area where Science Fiction has historically been there to challenge us, yet most modern Hollywood blockbusters have abandoned that aspect while Christian films have frankly not even made an attempt.

Until now.

Led by outstanding performances from Neal McDonough, Kristoffer Polaha, and Elizabeth Tabish, The Shift will take you into a series of dystopian worlds, engaging in a universe-jumping ride in which the lead character, Kevin, contends with societal oppression, personal betrayal, and his most primal fears. Can Kevin find the courage and strength to fight through it all and find his way back to the woman he loves?

The Shift is not a perfect film. There is a large amount of character- and world-building to be covered in 115 minutes, which leaves certain plot points and motivations underserved. While ambitious, the story could have benefited from a narrower focus. However, The Shift is highly entertaining, innovative, and thought provoking. It will engage you and challenge you. Brock Heasley and Angel Studios have created something fresh and important-a courageous, innovative, and risk-taking movie that requires a response, welcoming us into a genre and drawing us into a conversation we have too often avoided.

I enjoyed it, but it was a little far out, but it is a sci-fi. It was clean. No nudity or bad language that I remember. There was some screaming, extreme anger, and violence. My emotions were all over the place. It was full of ups and downs. Loved the acting from every character. Great love story in many ways. The movie was a bit slow and depressing in some parts. Maybe by design but I think the slowness went on a little too long causing my crew to start loosing interest. There were also to many unanswered questions. But all in all it was a great night out with the family. Provoked a good conversation. Go support the film and these great film makers.