Chronovisor

Is a compelling premise enough to make a movie work? Well, it certainly helps, especially for films in the sci-fi, paranormal and fantasy genres. But, if that premise isn’t backed up with a comparably competent execution, the picture’s chances of succeeding can be considerably diminished. And that, regrettably, is what holds back this inventive debut feature from co-writer-directors Jack Auen and Kevin Walker. While the specifics behind the story here are somewhat complicated from a scientific, philosophical and metaphysical standpoint, this release essentially follows the research of Columbia University Professor Beatrice Courte (Anne Laure Sellier) after she stumbles onto the long-hidden work of an obscure Benedictine monk, who, in the 1950s, with the supposed assistance of scientists like Wernher von Braun and Enrico Fermi, was said to have developed an invention that enabled the recording of past events by tapping into the intangible imprints they left in the ether. These imprints could then be converted and viewed on a video screen, providing an allegedly authentic depiction of those occurrences, making it possible to draw upon them to dispel historical inaccuracies and exaggerations. Among the events supposedly recorded were the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and a performance of the Greco-Roman tragedy Thyestes by Seneca the Younger. But, given the device’s inherent functionality, it was believed to have been capable of chronicling anything that happens in physical existence – not just milestone events – in a faithful etheric depiction. The immense power of this invention, however, was looked upon with tremendous concern by the Vatican, which was said to have appropriated and hidden the device in its secret archives, a move that, in turn, prompted the monk to vanish and all work on the project to stop. However, when the intrigued Columbia researcher learns of the legacy of this undertaking, she earnestly seeks to unravel the mystery behind the chronovisor. L...