Not to be confused with the 1992 movie of the same name, Aristomenis Tsirbas’ Timescape is a fun 80s Disney / Amblin Entertainment style adventure about Jason (Sofian Oleniuk) learning to grieve. The full title is actually Timescape – Back to the Dinosaurs and I hope it’s the the beginning of what I hope is a new franchise. The potential exists to expand upon the premise of an unlikely pairing, a girl from the future and a boy lost to the present–or should that be wishing to alter the past?
That’s because he doesn’t believe his parents are dead. Everyone else (Uncles included) believes his parents are gone and they want him to accept the harsh truth. However, he has hope. The smashed car was found in the woods, and there were no signs of where their bodies went. If that isn’t telling enough, this lad pointed out how the police who searched the forest apparently didn’t try hard enough.
After having a row with his other family members, this boy goes searching on his own. Although he isn’t smart to try looking during sunlight, the fact he’s willing to search at night says a lot about his no-nonsense personality. And in what he finds deep in the woods is a grounded UFO, and a mysterious older girl named Lara (Lola Rossignol-Arts). Curiousity gets the better of him, and he investigates. But after a mishap in the craft sends them back in time, they’ll need to trust each other if they’re to return to the future.
Jason and Lara find themselves in the land of the lost, and it’s obviously going to be dangerous. Their mini-adventure is similar to the pulp adventures of yesteryear, and they’re more like quick interludes as they talk their feelings out. However, Lara isn’t as forethcoming. After a few dinosaur encounters so this film can live up to the namesake of this film, they are no worse for wear–but are doomed anyways, because the spaceship is damaged. It’s these moments which make this film a fun watch. The use of CGI for some of the sets and dino design was better than I thought. Instead of looking too out of place, everything is nicely blended in.
Not many works have that Hollywood polish, and Tsirbas did a great job at giving viewers a summer blockbuster hit in the same vein as those 80s Disney films. Although this work is not related to Flight of the Last Navigator and Return to Witch Mountain in any way, that’s the vibe I got.
And with the help of M.I.A, the ship’s sentient drone (voiced by Tsirbas), a side-kick which isn’t annoying, they become close. They make a good team. I liken this film and their relationship to another family friendly franchise, The Spy Kids. When considering how Oleniuk (pictured right above) and Rossignol-Arts (left) play off each other like sublings, this analogy should be of no surprise. Although this film is this teen’s debut feature, I thought she did a great job.
And Ufology aficionados will like the added touches done to this film. One theory postulates these aliens are from the future, and they are travelling back in time to observe historical events. Another detail concerning how they look has my seal of approval. It’s these touches which gives this work that Speilberg type of vibe. But this work is not about future tech; instead it’s about why family bonds matters. I can watch this movie repeatedly.
And, according to IMDB, after the Fantasia debut, Timescape will be getting a wider release on August 19th.
4 Stars out of 5
Timescape Movie Trailer
