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Watchlist. In 1988, a police officer is hungry to become a detective and begins tracking a serial killer who resurfaces every nine years. But when the killer's crimes defy all scientific ...
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By Chris Tilly
Posted: Sep 26, 2019 10:00 pm
This was reviewed out of Fantastic Fest. In the Shadow of the Moon debuts on Netflix on Sept. 27.
In the Shadow of the Moon is a serial killer flick that spans decades and straddles genres, combining thriller with science fiction, police procedural, and time travel. Yet while the film’s ambitions are lofty, it isn’t quite the sum of its parts, playing a little earnest for much of the run-time, and climaxing with some pretty painful plot machinations.
The movie starts in encouraging fashion, the first 30 minutes playing out like the finale of another film, which makes sense as proceedings progress and the film starts hopping back then forward in time.
Following an explosive prologue set in 2024, the film journeys to 1988, and we meet Thomas “Lock” Lockhart (Boyd Holbrook), a Philadelphia police officer with a pregnant wife at home and plans to make detective at work. While patrolling the streets with partner Maddox (Bokeem Woodbine), Lock stumbles over the case that could make his name.
The film then jumps to 1997, where the same hooded figure seems to be committing a similar series of murders. And once they have been investigated, the story jumps ahead to 2006, where the very same figure appears to be killing again. Unfortunately, In the Shadow of the Moon starts to lose its way at this point, the pace slowing down, the dialogue becoming exposition-heavy, and the storyline somewhat repeating itself.
It’s still a fun ride, filled with twists and turns. And what starts out as a cross between Dirty Harry and Zodiac eventually morphs into a combination of The Terminator and Twelve Monkeys. Because as the film powers through the decades, a time travel mystery emerges to which only Lock holds the key.
In the Shadow of the Moon also becomes increasingly earnest as the denouement nears, with clumsy social and political commentary forced into the narrative, the film tackling everything from race riots and civil unrest to white power and police brutality. But at times it feels like those themes are being exploited by the script, with serious issues getting brief mentions without being fully explored.
The ending is satisfying, neatly bringing events full circle. But as with much of the film, it’s over-explained in somewhat clumsy fashion, and has you wishing the writers had more faith in the audience’s ability to put the pieces of the puzzle together themselves.
Netflix's In the Shadow of the Moon is most effective when having fun with its time-travel premise, but the film simply doesn’t work when injecting politics and social commentary into proceedings. The action is thrilling and the science fiction stuff compelling, but there are several occasions where it feels like the screenplay is talking down to i...
- Chris Tilly
Sep 24, 2019 · Reviews. Sep 24, 2019 9:32am PT. Film Review: ‘In the Shadow of the Moon’. This vaguely sci-fi-ish police thriller keeps leaping forward in time. So why does it feel like it's standing...
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 57% of 53 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's consensus reads: " In the Shadow of the Moon isn't always successful at balancing its assorted elements, but its struggles may be diverting enough to warrant a stream." [8]
Sep 27, 2019 · In the Shadow of the Moon: Directed by Jim Mickle. With Boyd Holbrook, Cleopatra Coleman, Bokeem Woodbine, Michael C. Hall. A Philadelphia police officer struggles with a lifelong obsession to track down a mysterious serial killer whose crimes defy explanation.
Sep 27, 2019 · By Anthony McGlynn. Published Sep 27, 2019. Link copied to clipboard. Netflix's In The Shadow Of The Moon 's ending includes time travel, sacrifices and a lot more confusing plot devices besides.
