The Shift - O Deslocamento

A weird dystopian sci-fi story with a heavy focus on its religiously inspired plot. The story has substance and with strong acting performances and a somewhat realistic 'police state' setting it makes for compelling viewing, but it also overcomplicates itself by trying to fit in too much. The heavy emphasis on religious allegory, romance, drama and action scenes are all good, but I found it to be a bit boring. Some of the subtle special effects were good whereas others looked cheap, the overly loud music drowned out the atmosphere and the ending, whilst expected, felt a bit of a cop out.

6/10.

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.

I don't think this movie deserves the low reviews it's getting based on people who cannot entertain the Christian/spiritual themes of the movie. I found it to be refreshing take on sci fi and overall social commentary that leaves you thinking about the world we live in today.

With this said, I wouldn't say it's a great movie, but not because of the content but because of the execution. The concepts are great but at times it feels a bit cheesy or for me and plot points don't quite add up, which reminds me I'm watching a movie. But overall it's Better than a lot of other movies being made now a days with bigger budgets and cast. Once again I'm really impressed with what Angel Studios has achieved.

6.5/10.

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.