‘Redux Redux’ Movie Review [Fantasia 2025]: A Scrappy Multiverse Thriller Grounded in Primal Emotion

Photo from Fantasia Film Festival

From Jeff Nelson

The multiverse concept has been done to death. It had its day in the sun between the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Academy Award-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once, and beyond. However, writer/director duo Kevin and Matthew McManus’ gritty Redux Redux catapults itself into a sci-fi league all its own. It proves just how far creativity and heart can take an overworked narrative device, opting for relying on character above all else.

A crackling fire reflects in Irene Kelly’s (Michaela McManus) lightly dewy eyes as she watches a man tied to a chair burn to death. It’s just another Thursday for her. After serial killer Neville (Jeremy Holm) murdered her daughter, Anna, the vengeful mother travels across the multiverse, assassinating him repeatedly. Irene has stabbed, shot, and suffocated him in every conceivable way, losing another piece of her humanity each time.

Yet, violence is only a consequence of her true mission: Irene seeks a universe where Anna still lives, but she’s left empty-handed after searching countless timelines. Each failure brings recurring heartbreak and reignites her hunt for Neville. In a universe far away, she discovers teenager Mia (Stella Marcus), an unfamiliar new potential victim of his brutality. Vengeance is contagious, and now the furious adolescent wants to make him pay for her abduction.

The McManus brothers anchor the thrills in Irene and Mia’s unshakable rage, skillfully crafting suspense through taut police chases and blood-soaked shootouts. But amid the darkness, a surprising sincerity emerges. Mia’s existence acts like a glitch in the matrix, slowly reawakening Irene’s humanity despite their shared thirst for justice. Before this, her only solace was replaying a “spontaneously” romantic evening with Jonathan (Jim Cummings), a grief support group member oblivious to her loops. The story evolves into a road trip movie, tracking these richly drawn characters as they grow together and separately.

In many ways, Redux Redux blends the tenderness of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the brutality of the South Korean film I Saw the Devil. Yet, it’s no carbon copy. Despite its sci-fi premise with a multiverse-traveling box, the story remains grounded in human emotion. There are a lot of chatty scenes set in small diners and rest stops, but they remain engaging and purposeful.

Sometimes, even the strongest people need someone to save them, even if it’s from themselves. Redux Redux is a gripping genre mash-up that breathes new life into exhausted multiverse tropes. The McManus brothers’ secret weapon is their deep understanding of these characters, ensuring they never get lost in the shuffle. This truth echoes in McManus and Marcus’ fearless performances. Clever, poignant filmmaking like this only comes about every so often.

Rating: 4/5

Redux Redux played at Fantasia 2025 on July 22nd.

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