Stuart Fisher I've watched more time travel movies than I can remember. They've all been interesting but this one sticks in my mind as the one I like the most.I think it's because James Belushi's character is completely unpredictable and Kylie Travis' character becomes increasingly desperate as a result. I guess it's also because I like the idea that even if you have the ability to travel in time, that doesn't mean you'll automatically be able to change the outcome.I guess I also like the idea of having female lead characters in science fiction movies. Alien, for example, works well for me for that reason too.

bayardhiler Time travel has always been a popular idea within the sci-fi world due to all the different directions that one can take in a story, such as going forward in time to see how the future might look or going backwards in time in an attempt to change the past. It is that last scenario that may very well be why time travel is as appealing to us as it is. What if we could go back and change the errors of our ways or save the lives of those lost in some tragedy, be it war, an accident, or murder. Many movies have featured this but not as many manage to do it with as much action, suspense, and good writing as 1997's "Retroactive".This nice, little film was released as a direct to video piece but don't let that fool you; as you soon discover while watching this, not all direct to video movies belong on the direct to video docket. In the beginning, we are introduced to Brian (played by the great character actor Frank Whaley) who is desperately trying to save a top secret time traveling project from being cut by the pentagon. He succeeds in sending a dead mouse who was just killed by a trap in a maze back in time as well as bringing it back to life. However, he only realizes this after watching a video he made of himself while performing the experiment. You see, only the person or animal who goes through the machine will remember what happened before hand while everyone else has no memory at all. Enters Chicago police negotiator Karen (played by the beautiful and talented Kylie Travis who would only go on acting for a few more years before marrying a New York real estate magnate in 2001. Lucky for her but a shame for us movie goers) who's running away from her own past when she crashes her car into a road side sign while traveling the lonely desert roads of Texas. While stranded, she's picked up by a seemly jovial man named Frank (played by the always delightful James Belushi) and his wife Rayanne (played by Shannon Whirry in a very convincing performance). Everything's goes well until they stop at at a gas station and Frank learns from the shop owner (M. Emmet Walsh, another great character actor) that his wife's been having an affair. From there, we soon discover that underneath Frank's jovial persona lurks a psychotic killer and he responds to the facts by killing his wife and chasing Karen to a concrete building which just happens to be the secret lab of Brian. One thing leads to another and before she knows what's happening, Karen finds herself back in the car with Frank twenty minutes in the past. She decides to try to change the events but only ends up making things worse. She then goes back in time again but makes things even more terrible than she did during the first attempt of changing the past.And that's what makes the movie as suspenseful and entertaining as it is: can Karen change the past for the better or is she doomed to an eternity of time traveling folly? The film accomplishes this by weaving together a story that manages to be intelligent while at the same time keeping you on the edge of your seat. The effects that are used for the time traveling scenes are very good while at the same time the filmmakers are careful in not allowing them to be the drive of the picture like you see in some films. I must also emphasize that James Belushi is pure entertainment in the role of bigger than life Texas psychopath Frank. Its because of little films like this that made 90's cinema so great, that combination of having a cool story and a great production to make it. Whatever you do, don't let this one slip by you because unlike in this movie, you can't rewrite your past errors.

TedMichaelMor I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DISCUSS THIS FILM WITHOUT DISCLOSING THE STORY."Groundhog Day" on speed and as nightmare, "Retroactive", a well made, and beautifully photographed, expertly edited, well-acted, and creatively directed thriller, is terrific entertainment. I suppose, in some way, it is a philosophical study within the terrorist genera. Production design by Phillip Duffin might be a key to this film (that is a guess on my part because I am not certain what production design is).Cinematographer George Mooradian and editor Glenn Gardner narrate a somehow almost believable script by Michael Hamilton-Wright, Robert Strauss, and Phillip Badger. Tim Truman's musical score is understated and effective. The stunts are terrific. Casting by Michelle Lang feels perfect. Almost every detail of the film seems to have a place.Watching the movie took something out of me. I am not a great fan of movies that cause anxiety the way this film initially does. I usually do not enjoy watching Detroit Ballet and cars and buildings bursting into flame. I do not usually enjoy movies that manipulate time travel, but here time travel is merely a device to recount a narrative as theme and variation.Modulations in the narrative make the development interesting beyond the action as when we learn that Frank knows the nerdy scientist Brian and Frank returns to the past to undo it. Jim Belushi is terrific here as are most of the other players. Still, this is Kylie Travis's movie.I am not certain that it all comes to much, but I admire how the film seems coherent, at least until near the end. Too many fireworks near the end when I grew tired of the special effects. I enjoyed the ending, however, where all seems "a simple twist of fate." My rating comes from a gut feeling about the movie rather than careful analysis.I want to see it in wide screen.

Robert Billingsley I had picked up the DVD at a store not knowing much about the film, and was surprised that the film was as good as it was. I like Belushi. I think he played this part very well. I had never heard of Kylie Travis before, but I thought she was very good in this film. I thought she played the tough woman part well. I like the movies where there's a tough heroine. Like the Alien movies.Of course, it didn't hurt that Kylie's good looking too. The plot was interesting. I won't divulge the rest of the movie, but suffice it to say, if someone likes adventure and science fiction together, this movie might fill the bill. If you find it at your local video store, I would suggest buying it and adding it to your collection.My summary is that it's a better than average film. I recommend it.