Eternal Return

Directed by Yaniv Raz, Eternal Return follows Naomi Scott’s Cass as she and a quirky shopkeeper (Kit Harington’s Virgil) begin plotting a map into the past. The degree to which Eternal Return eventually wears out its welcome is fairly devastating, as the movie, which runs an often palpably overlong 115 minutes, kicks off with a promising opening stretch that boasts (and benefits from) an agreeably whimsical atmosphere – with the promising vibe heightened by Scott’s affable turn as the compelling, sympathetic central character. It’s disappointing to note, then, that eternal return palpably (and aggressively) peters out as it enters its meandering, uneventful midsection, and there’s little doubt the movie’s problems are compounded by a narrative that often seems to be unfolding in slow motion – with the arms-length feel ensuring that certain third-act plot developments are unable to pack the emotional punch Raz has obviously intended. The final result is a woefully half-baked endeavor that squanders its affable setup and performances, which is a shame, ultimately, given the paucity of fantasy-type stories within contemporary multiplexes.

** out of ****