Imagine if we lived in but one version of the world and there were other incarnations. What would be the benefits and the dangers? That mind-bending contention is at the heart of the low budget Australian sci-fi drama, The Gateway.
She uses her revolutionary teleportation machine to travel to a parallel world where she finds an alternate version of Matt. But this form of her deceased husband is a decidedly different man. Largely expressionless, a soldier, he carries a deadly weapon and has a temper than can erupt at any moment. It soon becomes clear she’s made a terrible mistake and she and her family are at risk.
While the premise engaged me, I found its execution heavy-handed. The film showed promise, but was let down on a number of fronts. The script needed some reworking. I felt much of the acting was forced. Accomplished actress Jacqueline McKenzie (Three Summers) was the best of the performers, but even she lacked believability in a number of scenes.
On the other hand, the sense of menace that creeps into the picture keeps you involved. The idea behind the narrative – replicated worlds co-existing – is an exciting one. I kept thinking that this was a film that could have turned out much better than it did. For instance, think about Ex Machina, which was also made for a song. To summarise, expect nothing more that B-grade movie fare with The Gateway.
Director: John Soto
Cast: Jacqueline McKenzie, Myles Pollard, Ben Mortley
Release Date: 3 May 2018 (limited)
Rating: M
Alex First
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David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television