The Shift
The Shift is something I don’t recall seeing before – a hardcore sci-fi picture that’s also a faith-based film. Combining the two isn’t as much of a stretch as it may initially seem. Sci-fi, by nature, often deals with belief in bigger ideas, searches for explanations, and similar things that lend themselves to the topic of faith. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Prometheus are two good examples. This new film works nicely on one level, but falters significantly on the other. And they’re not the levels you probably expect.
The plot is inspired by the book of Job. Kevin Garner (Kristoffer Polaha) is deeply in love with his wife Molly (Elizabeth Tabish). One day, he’s badly injured in a car accident. He regains consciousness, only to be met by the Benefactor (Neal McDonough), a shadowy figure with the power to “shift” people, i.e. move them to another dimension in the multiverse. They have a confrontation, after which Kevin is left in a dark dystopian dimension far away from Molly. The question becomes whether he can somehow find a way back to her.
The Shift is pretty good as a faith-based story. The Benefactor is presumed to be the Devil, or at least one of his minions. He spews taunts, telling Kevin it’s foolish to believe God will guide him back to Molly. Those are followed up with promises of great rewards if he instead agrees to become a shifter himself. With his wife, his job, and his previous life taken from him, Kevin must decide whether to accept this dubious offer or continue to believe God has a plan for him, even though there are moments when that seems unlikely. Writer/director Brock Heasley develops this half of the film effectively. Faith audiences will undoubtedly find it rewarding.
Unexpectedly, the science-fiction level is the weaker of the two. The Shift has a bold, fascinating premise but fails to satisfactorily establish the rules of its scenario. Unanswered questions abound. What, exactly, is the point of shifting people? Why has the Benefactor chosen Kevin? What is the process by which Kevin can go to an old cinema and see alternate dimension versions of himself on the screen? Those are merely a few. The function of Kevin’s friend Gabriel (Sean Astin) is likewise hazy because his motivation doesn’t make sense. At times, the movie seems to be tossing new elements in randomly, just to add wrinkles. For a tale like this to work, it’s essential for the audience to understand the internal logic. Such logic is shaky here, particularly during the last act, as the glaring inconsistencies detract from the big finale.
It's a shame that the film overcomplicates itself because the performances are strong. Polaha is sincere as Kevin, turning him into a character we empathize with. The actor sells the notion that this guy is desperate to locate his wife across dimensions. McDonough is also terrific as the villain. He plays the Benefactor as someone with a commanding, forceful presence, rather than leaning toward the normal devilish cliches.
I admire the ambition of The Shift, as well as its faith message. As a work of science-fiction, though, it comes up short. Heasley needed to hone his ideas into sharper focus in order for the film to become legitimately thrilling. The intended emotional impact is blunted by the plot’s muddled quality.
out of four
The Shift is rated PG-13 for violence and thematic elements. The running time is 1 hour and 55 minutes.
