Every Time I Die
First time writer/director Robi Michael’s highly anticipated film, Every Time I Die, is sure to leave audience members thinking even after the credits have rolled. Every Time I Die very ambitiously covers a large range of topics in a run-time of only 90 minutes. This film follows Sam, played by Drew Fonteiro, in his journey to protect his friends from the man who killed him. His consciousness jumps from body to body in hopes of warning the others of the imposter walking amongst them.
The narrative of this film is very complex and contains many layers. This is especially prevalent during the first 40 minutes of the film. A lack of background information and contextualization allows for the characters displayed on screen to become less connectable to the viewer. During these first 40 minutes, there wasn’t a clear sense of where the next scene was heading. Cutting back-and-forth between various perspectives and sequences make way for a very puzzling and unstructured start. However these fragmented scenes become incredibly essential in comprehending the climax of the plot towards the end of the film.
The score of this film is never redundant or misplaced. It truly only makes an appearance when needed, which only adds to the effect it has on the plot. The sharp and thrilling sounds greatly add to the many moments of tension and suspense that Michael’s film provides. This along with the many complex visual effects come together to make Every Time I Die such a wonderfully unique viewing experience.
Something else worth noting about this film is the cinematography. The cinematography greatly assists in reiterating the contrast between Sam’s consciousness and the many bodies that come to possess it. The unique transitional shots and angles also helped to ease the story along, without being too repetitive or tacky. The contrasts that the cinematography provides also seem to make up for the absence of Sam’s outward emotions. Sam’s portrayal as a restrained and introverted character makes it hard for viewers to determine the causes for his behavior. As well as better understanding his inner struggles and conflicts.
Though this film was highly anticipated for many, it seems to fall short in some ways. While it does have many unique qualities, the overall structure and character development ultimately weigh it down. The ending of the film also comes off as flat and almost too conveniently uplifting. There are many unanswered questions and things of that nature that are left behind for the audience members to interpret for themselves.
Robi Michael’s Every Time I Die serves as a thought provokingly interesting film. Though its structure may cause some confusion, it is still a unique story told in an equally unique way. From the visual effects to the suspenseful plot, Every Time I Die will leave viewers wanting more.
