ARQ (2016)

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Low-budget science fiction taking on the "time loop" concept (Groundhog Day, Edge of Tomorrow). Renton (Robbie Amell) and Hannah (Rachael Taylor) wake to a home invasion; when they die, they wake again at the same time. The macguffin is the "ARQ", a sort of perpetual-motion machine which it transpires that Renton stole from the evil faction in their post-apocalyptic future. Loops steadily reveal various double-crosses and hidden loyalties, particularly when the invaders also start to remember the resets... but we are heading too far into spoiler territory.

It's a high-concept story that is unfortunately less interesting than it thinks it is, primarily because none of the characters is interesting enough to care about; it's hard to get hung up on a betrayal by a character you don't know. The final twist is quite good, but again leans too heavily on characters not deep enough to invest in emotionally.

Not a waste of time but solidly B-grade.

- Sam - 2017-09-18 03:18:26