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.
