Project Almanac delivers uneven trip

By: Taylor Hylton

“Project Almanac” is a whirlwind jump in time that will leave you reeling.

“Project Almanac” is a new PG-13 release by Dean Israelite, who is a newcomer to the big-screen world. Despite Dean’s inexperience in major motion pictures, I give it a respectable three out of five stars for its ability to show you the experiences of the characters, cause and effect and the destruction of lives that the time travel creates.

As the main character (David Raskin) wrestles with how to get a full-ride scholarship, he searches for an invention idea to submit. He scrounges throughout the attic looking for one of his deceased father’s ideas when he stumbles upon his father’s old video camera. He sees his present, 17 year-old self in the mirror at his seventh birthday party. Surprised, he then starts his momentous quest for answers.

Despite its “thriller” genre, few jumpy or scary moments actually take place. Thankfully the movie is filled with other scenes that either bring a smile to your face or a flinching grimace.

The plot was translucent, and, while obvious, the mechanics of time travel can always bring about a sense of slight surprise as the characters ply the “ripples” of time.

The direction of the camera angles are unique and refreshing at times, but at other moments headache inducing because of the choppiness. The movie is shot from David and Christina’s father’s camera as they video tape every moment they spend time travelling and working together with their group of friends.

There were a lot of scenes that made you go “whaaaat?” Like the moment when the main character reveals that no one went to the basement since their father died 10 years earlier, a magic switch that they had no idea what its purpose was. Other moments like those followed.

The ending was a huge let-down and left many questions unanswered.

The movie was given a D+ rating at IMDB by its members. The metascore was 47/100. While thought provoking and never slow, and I would agree with the grade completely, though perhaps it is worth the time watching simply for the wonder of the queries it leaves you with.