FILM INFO: In one tragic night, Quantum Physics Professor Jacob Matthews loses his wife...his everything. What he does to get her back will bring him to the edge of madness.
WRITTEN BY: Michael Peake DIRECTED BY: Michael Peake GENRE: Sci-Fi TIME: 37 minutes
It seems that over the last few years films involving direct time travel, or at the very least some temporal distorting elements, have been popping up all over the place. In the world of indie film the same shift exists. Sure, we all know the legendary examples of the past, Bill & Ted, Back To The Future and of course... Doctor Who, but could Doc Brown ever have conceived we'd all become so devilishly interested in the subject years later? Not that long ago, the notion of time travel was reserved for cheese doodle eating nerds and very ambitious authors. Not the case anymore though, and bringing me to "Jacob's Paradox", the subject of this write-up. I was introduced to writer / director Michael Peake through this very website, and after a short while we realized we were working on parallel projects, both involving time travel... and a lead character with a crazy beard! I guess we both assumed the beard would add credibility to the intellect of the character. On my part? Mistake. I, for better or worse decided on a feature length film focusing on comedy and just plain silliness, Mr. Peake went for a more dramatic short film, focusing on character induced drama and a more realistic approach to the subject matter. The end result more than impressed me, it actually baffled me, in a good way. An indie time travel film that turned out this well? Who would have thought? "Jacob's Paradox" has it all! Some excellent lensing to compliment the complex (although not overly complex) story presented onscreen; some great post production work and editing... and a very nice audio track. As if that weren't enough, we, the viewers are treated to some top notch character portrayals by the cast of the film. Nowhere to be seen are the staple independent/low budget performances from a cast of hopefuls and jokers. The actors that make up "Jacob's Paradox" not only took their respective roles seriously, but earned their bragging rights in such a great production. The corny dialog doesn't exist here, anywhere; that's a compliment to both the writer (Mr. Peake) and the talent themselves. Excellent job pulling a great story to the next level... and doing it so very well. Although the commercial future of "Jacob's Paradox" remains uncertain, as is the case with most indie films, one thing is clear. This is a film sure to please the majority of the people looking for a quick fix of good entertainment. "Jacob's Paradox" is a great looking film stuffed to overflowing with some great performances, and some excellent visual appeal. Even time travel haters will find something here they can bite into. I, personally can't wait until a hard copy becomes available... in the meantime, feel free to check out "Jacob's Paradox" via the links to the left. Just tell 'em Doc Brown sent ya.
