How far would you go for revenge? If someone were taken from you, what would you do to the person who took them? What would exacting that revenge do to you? How much of your humanity would you sacrifice? These are the kind of questions that no one will know the answer to until they are placed into that situation. But what if there were an opportunity to do… more?

Irene (Michaela McManus) is a grieving and aggrieved mother. Some years ago, her daughter was kidnapped, tortured and killed by a serial killer, Nelson (Jeremy Holm).   She wants revenge, and understandably so. But her world has a slight difference from our own. In hers, someone has invented inter-dimensional travel and, as we join the story, Irene has been travelling from one universe to the next, killing Nelson over and over again.

It’s a fun play on the recent multiverse trend in cinema, and it even goes so far as to cut off the explanation of what a multiverse is by having another character say they took a creative writing class and already know. There are time loop vibes, too, as every universe Irene visits is only minutely different from the last, meaning she can hunt Nelson in almost exactly the same manner each time before killing him in ever-new and creative ways.

This pattern is only interrupted when she meets Mia (Stella Marcus), an orphaned teen who is tied up in Nelson’s bathroom in the latest universe she visits.   Their initial relationship is tense as Mia is not one to trust easily, but after Nelson is once again dispatched, they are soon on a trip to the next dimension together.

There are several big action sequences during their adventures, including a shootout in the desert and a great car chase, all of which are impressive given the film’s relatively small budget. The dimension-hopping device, straight out of an ’80s sci-fi movie, is also one of the best movie props of the year. The fact that each new world is so similar allows the story to offer some creative solutions to lesser thought-about problems, like how one funds an ongoing mission like this, and gives the supporting cast opportunities to bring each variant of their characters to life.

If Redux Redux has a flaw, it’s that it contains some well-worn tropes.   Yes, Irene and Mia will form a bond, and yes, Irene will have to confront her humanity after exacting her revenge so many times, but writer and directors Kevin and Matthew McManus make it feel fresh again.

The characters are well-drawn and relatable, and the story of Irene transitioning from the cold, hard killing machine she’s become into something more motherly and caring really works. And even though the climax of the film involves the same villain we’ve seen defeated numerous times before, he’s so despicable that you won’t mind seeing him beaten one more time.

Redux Redux is a fun little film that offers a unique variation on the multiverse idea, but also asks questions about trauma, the lengths we might go for revenge, and how much of our humanity we can lose before it’s too late to claim it back. It’s a smart, inventive sci-fi film, one that is more than the sum of its parts, and definitely worth seeking out.

Redux Redux screened as part of the 2025 Fantasia Film Festival.