Timestalker, the new film by writer/director Alice Lowe, is the follow-up to her debut feature Prevenge. Whilst that first film was a darkly comic spin on the horror/slasher genre (which for a Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace alumnus makes perfect sense), Lowe’s latest is a bold concoction of historical fiction, romantic comedy, and science fiction — the sort of unusual premise that suits the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) and therefore a perfect fit for the film’s UK premiere.
Timestalker begins in rural Scotland in the 1680s, where we first meet our protagonist Agnes (Lowe). Shortly after becoming infatuated with a mysterious criminal, the lovestruck Agnes abruptly (and gruesomely) dies, and across several centuries, we’re reintroduced to her subsequent reincarnation as she appears destined to continually cross paths with her one true love (and in true stalker fashion, she makes sure of it). In each era, Agnes must contend with several other recurring characters from her past lives, not least her beastly husband (grotesquely portrayed by Nick Frost). While the story spans a millennia, much of the film’s run-time is spent in the 1790s and the 1980s and the costumes, aesthetics and pastiches of each era are on point.
Fans of Lowe’s comedy (and her contemporaries) will know what to expect: it’s dry, absurd, awkward and over the top, but delivered with a poker straight face. Plenty of big laughs are peppered throughout the film, but, disappointingly, just as many feel forced or fall flat and overall it feels a bit inconsistent. The pacing and editing don’t help with this either. Some scenes drag, take too long to get to the point and overstay their welcome, while others aren’t given enough time to breathe. It all feels a bit disjointed and occasionally frustrating.
Yet, for all its flaws, there’s still a lot to love about Timestalker. There’s a great cast (held together by the endlessly watchable Lowe), the film’s aesthetic is fantastic, and the soundtrack features some outstanding music (particularly when the period shifts to the 80s). Timestalker is original and ambitious; even though it’s not perfect, it’s still worth your time.
Special mention goes to the opening short film Don’t Hate Me — written/directed by and starring comedian Grace Campbell (and co-starring TikTok personality Chris Hall) — a brilliant piece of farce (concerning being ghosted by a new boyfriend) that turned out to be the perfect warm-up for the main event.
Timestalker is due to be released in UK cinemas on 18th October.
Words by Chris Sneddon
