Time Renegades (2016) User Reviews

Time travel in your dreams

[tenshi_ippikiookami · 7/10 · 23 July 2016]

"Time Renegades", the English title of this movie, is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, that keeps the viewer's attention during its running time, even if it falls on some shortcomings.

In the New Year's Eve celebrations of 1983 and 2015, two men, a teacher and a policeman, are shot and barely survive. Surprisingly, soon afterwards they start to dream about each other's lives, and it all becomes quite more complicated when the policeman of 2015 meets a woman that is the exact copy of the teacher's girlfriend in 1983. And things become even more entangled when he discovers that the teacher's girlfriend was killed in the past. Both men will try to change time and history and save their loved ones.

As with almost all other time travelling stories, "Time Renegades" suffers from not being able to justify itself very well, and of not making much sense in some occasions. On the other hand, it is very competently done, the action is nice (even if overdone a couple of moments), both story lines hold by themselves quite well, and more important, interconnect to each other in a fun way, full of twists and surprises (even if some of them will be seen by a mile away). The acting is good and the direction sound and stable, and doesn't show off too much. The rhythm doesn't slow much in any moment, and apart from one cringe and unnecessary melodramatic moment, it holds a steady pace.

Totally worth watching.

Interesting concept and stylish presentation, but also marred by inconsistency and cheesy narrative.

[quincytheodore · 6/10 · 29 June 2016]

Time travel is just as unstable premise as it sounds, one which many movies irresistibly always use. There are myriad of nice touches involving the soundtracks and cool cinematography in "Time Renegades", but as it goes along the complexity weighs down on the movie. It also tries to push many elements, like drama and thriller that don't mesh well together, resulting in typical cheesy plot for melancholy effect.

The movie works in two timelines, the present and past, as two different men experience near death experience at respective New Year's Eve. They share a bond with dreams, seeing the events the other goes through in sporadic fashion. This is ultimately explained with average reincarnation gimmick and it does not cover the length and details concerning these dreams, but it can be forgiven to avoid more heavy exposition that it already has.

Visual is divided into two different tints, the warmer tone for the past and blue colder color for present. This is a good way to tell them apart and for some moments, the movie knows exactly what it wants to portray. Its thriller aspect works slightly better since it has an eerie ambiance that contrasts the romantic tone.

However, it could do with more subtle approach, as it often replays the same narrative or excessively points out the obvious quirk. Time travel gig is more enjoyable when these details are less pronounced and not blatantly waves at the screen. There's a severely distracting plot inconsistency when things get heated, it always happens in cause-and-effect mechanic of time travel and the movie is plagued by this at least several times.

Regardless of the rocky flow, the fundamental flaw is the cheesiness as it tries to be romantic. It repeats itself in this soap opera eternal love shtick, which is unfortunately because there's shining light on the presentation and the time travel premise, even the crime investigation, could have been polished more.

One of the best movies in recent times

[tzuuuUUUU · 10/10 · 9 October 2016]

Sure there might be some small flaws here and there but oh my god, this has to be one of the most exciting movies in a long time. I haven't seen a movie with this good tempo for years, no slow or boring parts at all, just mind blowing. Every new scene brings the story forward and there are so many twists.

The story is very well written and is full of suspense and mystery.

If this story was made in America, and well made, it would be one of the biggest box office hits of the year.

Highly recommended. Extremely well made movie. Can be enjoyed with whole family, everyone will get into it and have fun while watching.

Love last forever

[sathyaaero · 10/10 · 25 July 2020]

The concept of this film was unique and interesting. The handling of colour grading in this film helps us to understand the film clearly. Though this film makes us to collapse in middle portions but we can get a clear understanding by watching till end where a suspense waits. The non linear editting which makes collapse little bit where I felt watching sir DIRECTOR Christopher Nolan films. The acting of the two main male actors was really excellent especially when love feeling scenes. At climax we feel some undefined feelings in our heart where the film wins.One of the Excellent movie from South Korea.

Too ambitious a story to succeed

[phd_travel · 5/10 · 9 May 2020]

The story is confusing and even though I payed some attention I couldn't understand it completely. It's clear which period the people are in, but it's hard to get how the changes affect things and how they link up.

Too ambitious for its own good.

Overly dramatic and cheesy

[Mind-Boggling · 4/10 · 24 April 2016]

This is the first movie i have seen by director Kwak Jae-Yong,and it wasn't a very good experience.I felt like i was watching a sci fi,mystery,drama TV show.The tone of this movie is all over the place; sometimes it's extremely cheesy and has a cheap comedy feel and look to it.And the more serious parts are very over dramatic, making it hard to take seriously.Although the story is kind of interesting it's just not handle very well; There are a lot of stupid things that happen in this movie which don't help either. Overall i felt like laughing by the end of the movie because it got so ridiculous towards the end.I give it 4 out of 10 stars.