Michael Felker, a seasoned editor making his feature directorial debut, has crafted one of the most intricately-woven and mind-bending sci-fi shockers ever committed to film with Things Will Be Different. This enigmatic, contained conundrum of a film stands alongside cult classics in the genre, such as Nacho Vigalondo’s time-twisting Timecrimes, James Ward Byrkit’s reality-shifting Coherence, and Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson’s high concept, lo-fi sci-fi meta-horror Resolution (with the latter duo serving as executive producers on Felker’s film). Things Will Be Different expertly blends elements of high-concept science fiction, psychological drama, suspense, and metaphysical mystery to create an experience that’s as disorienting (in the best possible way) as it is compulsively watchable.
Having collaborated closely with Moorhead and Benson on numerous occasions as an editor, the filmmaking duo’s distinctive creative vision is unmistakably reflected here as Felker effortlessly captures a similar level of conceptual sophistication whilst combining elements of profound emotional resonance with a subtly unsettling undercurrent of horror.
The film follows estranged siblings Joseph (Adam David Thompson) and Sidney (Riley Dandy). After a botched robbery, the pair rendezvous at a local diner before fleeing to an abandoned farmhouse, which serves as a mysterious portal that allows them to slip through time and evade the authorities. At first, the siblings make the most of their secluded cabin, using it as an opportunity to reconnect. However, they soon realize that returning to their own time is not as straightforward as they had hoped when an unknown metaphysical force thwarts their efforts, leaving them stranded in a temporal limbo unless they carry out a very specific set of particular instructions which leave them doubting everything they thought this getaway had promised them, all the while creating rising tensions between the siblings as past demons raise their ugly heads.
Revealing the specifics of the instructions the characters need to adhere to to escape this metaphysical labyrinth would spoil the film, but suffice it to say that Felker strategically ramps up the psychological tension, putting the protagonists Joseph and Sidney through a grueling ordeal that tests them to the absolute limits of their sanity. The superbly performed, poignant interactions between the siblings gradually reveal the underlying complexities of their storied history, eliciting profound empathy from the audience. This results in the audience becoming fully invested in the protagonists’ plight and equally mesmerized by the head-spinning conceits that Thompson and Dandy undertake with complete conviction, leaving us anxious to discover who, or what, is behind the unfolding events and how a satisfying conclusion might possibly be reached, given the increasingly chaotic situation the protagonists find themselves in.
Felker’s editing expertise, honed from previous experience, is a clear asset here. The aforementioned dialogue and performances really ground the story, while Felker’s deft touch allows the more abstract, trippy elements of time travel – like objects suddenly materializing in the present as the time continuum is disrupted – to be seamlessly woven into the narrative without compromising the overall sense of believability.
Felker’s directorial debut provides a richly immersive cinematic enigma box experience that invites repeated viewings to fully unravel its myriad layers. Propelled forward by two outstanding lead performances that bring an infectious intensity and raw vulnerability to their roles, the film serves as a powerful exploration of identity, regret, and the malleability of reality. Seamlessly integrating both fantastical and chilling motifs into the fabric of the everyday, a feat particularly commendable given the constraints of chamber pieces, Things Will Be Different is sure to establish Felker as a bold and visionary new voice in genre cinema because things really will never be the same after you experience this film.
VERDICT:
Things Will Be Different releases in theaters and on digital this October 4th, 2024.
