TIME TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS

****

Directed by Chris Reading.

Starring Ruth Syratt, Megan Stevenson, Sophie Thompson, Stephen Fry.

Science-Fiction/Comedy, UK, 99 Minutes, Certificate 15.

Released On Digital in the UK by Shakespeare Sisters and Candr Pictures Ltd on 29th September

TIME TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS packs a lot into its 99 minutes, as it romps through space, time and decades-worth of cultural memorabilia. Real-life vintage store owners Megan and Ruth discover a time machine while dumpster-diving for stock. They use it not wisely but too well, chaos ensues, and order must be restored, by themselves and their new allies, the members of the Technology, Engineering, Scientific Thought and Innovation Society (T.E.S.T.I.S., get it?), a secretive group of inventors.  

This is a delightful bric-a-brac shop of a movie, where you’ll find a little bit of everything – there’s a feelgood buddy story, many homages to sci-fi from Lovecraft to Steampunk, flashing lights, disco balls, completely unhinged time travel sequences and the obligatory cephalopod from another dimension. There are also nods to more serious issues, like the role of women in STEM, consumer culture and the challenges of ageing in our society, but it’s all done with such a light touch that it never feels out of step. 

It's a busy movie, full of clever asides and throwaway lines, and the background of almost every scene is packed with treasures for the observant. And best of all, it’s really funny! Whether the viewer’s sense of humour is high- or low-brow, whether they prefer slapstick or clever witticisms, Benny Hill-type snort-snort or the drier mockumentary style of The Office, there will be something here for most.   

Overlaying this completely OTT joyride with the low-key, naturalistic style of a mockumentary is a stroke of genius. In the wrong hands this film could have been spoofy and ridiculous – I mean, the time machine is a made-over bumper car – but director Chris Reading and an excellent cast keep it pitch perfect. 

Robyn Fraser