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There are several reasons to appreciate this faith-based drama: it has a clear goal, it deviates from predictable paths, and it features talented actor Neal McDonough as a villain, which adds depth to the story. Its uniqueness is also notable – it’s been a while since a dystopian science fiction film loosely based on the Book of Job has been released.
Emphasis on “loosely”, mind you. Director Brock Heasley’s version of the biblical story sees wealthy financier Kevin (Hallmark fave Kristoffer Polaha) lose everything at least twice: first when he loses his high-flying job, and then when he is separated from his wife-to-be, a woman he meets while sulking in a bar over losing his high-flying job. That separation occurs when he is whisked into a kind of parallel universe by a personable devil avatar called the Benefactor (McDonough). Kevin then spends the rest of the film hoping to get back to the correct reality. For lo, it has come to pass: Marvel do not have sole rights to annoyingly convoluted multiverse shtick.
While there are certainly some enjoyable aspects to The Shift and it can be appreciated as a cultural artifact or a source of camp fascination, there is a significant amount of time spent on Kevin’s personal mission. He longs to reunite with his wife, but he also takes on the role of a hoodie-wearing underground savior, sporting Louis Theroux-esque glasses in a world where religious texts are prohibited and former financiers struggle to find success. Unfortunately, the film’s lack of balance between entertainment and rambling makes it almost as challenging to endure as the sufferings of Job.
By chance, the same company responsible for the summer 2023 hit movie, Sound of Freedom, which was endorsed by Trump and centered around Mormon child trafficking, will also be releasing this new movie. However, it is doubtful that it will achieve the same level of financial success. Yet, as Sound of Freedom demonstrated, unexpected successes can occur.
Source: theguardian.com
