A man tries to change the future he has seen with taking things in his own hands.
Written by Ryan W. Smith and Tony Dean Smith with the latter directing as well, Volition is a film that requires attention in that it crosses timelines and the story becomes different with each attempt at making things better done by the lead. The story is one that is made for those who do not like when the film takes them for idiots or spoon feeds them what they want to see. Here the film takes its premise and makes the most of it, but it also becomes a bit complicated for itself, requiring the viewer to really pay attention. The film is well-written and directed, but something makes it hard to follow at times, perhaps making it a film made to be watched while fully awaken and energized.
The cast here is led by Adrian Glynn McMorran who plays James, the man with the clairvoyant moments who tried to saves himself and ends up doing something more important. Going along with him for most of the film is the character of Angela, played by Magda Apanowicz. The both of them give good performances and have a chemistry that works right for their characters ever changing relationship. Aponowicz attracts the attention whenever she is on screen here, stealing a few scenes from leading man McMorran. Her work is charming and it pulls the viewer to her. She may not be the lead, but she may very well be the one to leave a mark on the viewer’s mind. The rest of the cast is decent to good with some really good performances here and there, but the main characters are really the ones who are central to this story and their performances comes off as such.
The film’s cinematography by Byron Kopman is good with a few scenes that look truly inspired peppered here and there in the film. The film basically has a look as would be expected for most of its runtime, but there are some scenes that show a great knowledge of image building and framing. The editing that goes with this cinematography works well for the film and adds the right amount of energy when needed without making things a blur, something too many films are still doing these days.
Volition is a film with a few hidden secrets that are hard to avoid while reviewing so this review shall be short. The film works overall with some great scenes here and there, but the story and its twists and turns may be a bit over-complicated. That being said, when paying full attention, the film is a satisfying watch in that it doesn’t underestimate its audience’s intelligence and it has a lot to offer along the way. The two leads are quite good and the rest of the cast is also talented. It’s a watch that requires attention, but rewards this attention in the end.
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