I've seen a lot of low and no budget films, especially sci-fi. This is definitely in my top 10 list. It's nt hard sci-fi, it definitely isn't trying to be scientific, and that's okay, in my mind there is more than enough room in sci-for both hard and soft sci-fi stories. I have no problem with a movie that has sci-fi concepts that does not explain much of anything, but if you do, avoid "Paradox Lost", for everyone else, this is a really fun movie, with characters you will actually care about...
I won't summarize the story, don't want to ruin it. It is a time travel movie, mostly it is pretty silly, but at times it is very serious as well. It certainly has echoes of terminator, but only in some of the story elements, it is very much it's own story. It is at it's heart a story about a man who is afraid to live and then he is confronted with an imminent threat and someone who makes his life very unpredictable. It's good story.
One of the things that elevates this is the acting, particularly by the Director Dennis Curlett whom also plays Copper, he is hilarious, and human at the same time. The way he delivers his lines and reacts to things is 100% perfect for the character, and he really brings this awkward character to life. We know little about what things are like where Copper comes from, but based on his awkward behavior, we can tell it is very different. It's a great performance and it 100% makes this movie, sometimes directors playing in their movies works, sometimes it doesn't, it was definitely the right choice here. Danny Cymbal was also appropriately awkward as Barnaby, he did a pretty good job carrying the film, in what I think is actually a deceptively tricky role.
I was entertained all the way through, the ending was pretty clever, and there was some good camera work, and some clever usage of quick cuts, very well done. The only minor problem was the sound sometimes was a little quiet, and one or two scenes with some mismatched dubbing, but it happens, even in big name movies. On the whole, very very well done. Good script, and very good execution.
A very promising directorial debut, I really want to see more from this writer/dirctor/actor, I think he is a bright new talent.
