Time Travel is Dangerous (2024) Review

As films like The Terminator, The Time Machine, Looper, Edge of Tomorrow, Back to the Future 2 and Hot Tub Time Machine 2 have proven, going backwards and forwards across history or into the far future can be perilous to both personal and universal health. But it has taken until now for a movie to say it out loud, and that movie is the brilliant British comedy Sci-Fi usurpingly titled Time Travel is Dangerous.

The set up is simple enough and starts when two friends Ruth and Megan find a time travel machine by the bins behind their vintage shop in Muswell Hill. The scientific marvel, which is actually a modified dodgem, takes them on jaunts across history where they pilfer anything they can from the bemused locals of the past to sell in their shop. Seemingly onto a great thing the pals are oblivious not only to how the time machine works or what it is doing to them or doing to the fabric of reality but also where it came from.

Enter T.E.S.T.I.S the Technology, Engineering, Scientific Thought and Innovation Society a group of odd and uncomfortable scientists who gather in a local school once a week down the road from Ruth and Megan’s shop to discuss their latest inventions including the Invisibility Overgarment, Rocket Boots and Fork-u-later.

This eccentric group includes Dr Ralph Sheldrake (Brian Bovell from Love Actually and Gimme Gimme Gimme) the man who not only made the time traveling device but was also the star of The Future Today a long since cancelled TV science programme which he hosted with his robot friend Botty (the great Johnny Vegas), and which Ruth and Megan have been watching on VHS tapes they found alongside the machine.

When Ralph and the rest of T.E.S.T.I.S find out that not only does his creation work but it is in constant use, they do all they can to stop Ruth and Megan however the duo are driven by the threat of eviction and shear bloody mindedness to carry on regardless behind the science clubs anoraked backs.

After a series of strange goings on occur a literal tear in the fabric of space appears in their shop and the women realise things may be more serious than they thought. The question is even with the help of a bunch of middle aged geniuses can they undo what they have done before it’s too late.

With its excellent story the reality of such a ridiculous and surreal situation is heighten by the Mockumentry style the film is made in plus the fact that Ruth and Megan are played by Ruth Syratt and Megan Stevenson, real life friends and real life owners of vintage shop Cha Cha Cha in Muswell Hill. The original inspiration for the film whose story was co-wrote by Ruth alongside the director Chris Reading the pairs chemistry is perfect, crafting the central anti-heroes as a blend of Bill & Ted and Philomena Cunk via Acorn Antiques.

If that last set of references seemed very British its because this is a very British movie and credit goes to Reading who wrote the screenplay with Anna-Elizabeth and Hillary Shakespeare, better known as Shakespeare’s Sisters, for refusing to pander to an international audience in terms of the movies references, heart and humour.

Time Travel is Dangerous may start out as a fake doc but it becomes so much more as it blends Ruth and Megan’s multiple time jumps from prehistoric jungle to the Wild West with clips from the 80’s TV show, stylised scientific explanations and its insane final act which takes things into the far more unhinged and unknown zone of the Unreason.

It is in this last part that you will not only find a heavy does of Terry Gilliam style Sci-Fi madness but also some excellent cameos from Absolutely Fabulous’s Jane Horrocks, Spaced’s Mark Heap and all round icon Brian Blessed.

In fact the whole film is peppered with a perfect UK comedy cast from the The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy style narration by Stephen Fry to great turns from Sophie Thompson, Tony Way, Guy Henry, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Laura Aikman alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Tom Lenk and all of them are on top form.

The art design is off the charts with Reading creating all manner of weird and wonderful inventions, devices, creatures, time space rifts and more to the point where the viewer forgets this is a low budget independent movie. And here lies Readings other achievement which is making such a creative and original feature without the help of a major studio.

More engaging and entertaining than many Hollywood films that try and tread the same ground in a far less inventive way, Time Travel is Dangerous is fresh and funny and deserves repeat viewing just like all the best time travel movies.

Movie Rating:

Time Travel is Dangerous is in UK Cinemas from 28th March. Find out more at www.timetravelisdangerous.com

Time Travel Is Dangerous trailer