Picking up the soul of Lucid Dream, the 2017 South Korean science fiction mystery-thriller, first-time director Thej’s Rewind deserved a round of applause for trying to explore the complex subject, tempered with a local flavour. But, that’s it.
With a sharp shrill of unused creativity, Rewind is nothing but a disaster which serves no purpose, or contributes anything close to inventiveness. Filled with disappointment in every frame, it is a classic example of a filmmaker’s sense of faculties slowly dying, a tragedy in the sphere of creative art.
As for the plot, the story revolves around a crime reporter Arjun (Thej), whose daughter had been abducted for over three months. With not much help from the police, he takes the scientific approach to find his daughter, trying to track her through ‘Lucid Dreams’ or ‘shared dreams’ for which he takes help from his wife, a scientist. His only focus is to find his daughter, taking him through many risks.
How his dreams help him trace his daughter as well as the culprit, comes with some twists and turns. The film tries to underline the father-daughter relationship, while highlighting the consequences of being an ardent crime reporter.
Picking up an unusual subject was a smart move by the first-time director, but taking dual responsibilities of acting and being behind the lens, as well as production, Thej ends up with an amateurish execution, leading to a soporific effect. The film comes with a complete miscast, pathetic performances, and uncountable loopholes.The film’s jarring background score adds to the frustrating experience, making it a disappointing watch.
Rewind
Cast: Thej, Chandana, and Sampath
Director: Thej
Producer: Vinod