Restore Point (2024)

 

 

Movie Name/Year: Restore Point (2024)

Genre: Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi 

Length:  1h 55min 

Rating: Unrated 

Director: Robert Hloz 

Writers: Tomislav Cecka, Robert Hloz, Zdenek Jecelin

Actors: Andrea Mohylová, Matej Hádek, Milan Ondrík, Václav Neuzil, Karel Dobrý, Agáta Krystufkova, Katarzyna Zawadzka, Iveta Dusková, Jan Vlasák, Richard Stanke, Adam Vacula, Jan Jankovský 

 

IMDb Blurb: Set in central Europe during 2041, a female detective investigates the case of a murdered couple where a restoration team is able to bring one of them back to life.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View: 

I have to admit that I enjoyed Restore Point far more than I expected.

 

Let me back up a moment and explain that. I didn’t anticipate at any point that it would be bad. I just know my own attention span these days and sometimes I struggle with subtitled movies if I’m not invested enough. A film in another language needs to be one that I either understand some of, or just so engrossing for me that I forget that I’m reading the screen at the same time as I take in the actions of the characters. I have a tendency to fidget with things while I’m watching movies or TV, to help keep my ADHD busy. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really mesh well with reading subtitles – causing me to miss important moments occasionally. While I find the Slavic languages interesting to listen to, I certainly don’t speak them so that was something I had to take into consideration when I worked on my personal Top 20 list this past month. (Selina listed Restore Point as her #5 entry.)

 

 

What all that boils down to is this: I didn’t have any problems keeping up with the story and quite liked the overall arc of Restore Point. I didn’t even feel the need to fidget to keep my attention glued to the screen.

 

I adore futuristic sci-fi. It’s always fascinating to see what someone envisions for the future of technology and society as a whole – whether it’s dystopian, utopian, or somewhere in between. I don’t necessarily think that Restore Point entirely fits into a particular category such as that, but perhaps is set in a time that could be potentially leading up to a dystopian situation. I really enjoyed all of the technological facets of life that Restore Point explored – even in the background. I also have to give extra points that the electric vehicles were quiet and electric-sounding, as well. I’ve seen too many issues recently where there’s supposed to be an EV on the screen and someone has layered in the vrooming noises of a gas engine shifting through its various gears.

 

 

I’ve heard that Restore Point has been compared to Logan’s Run (1976) and Minority Report (2002). I’d agree that there are elements that you could cherry pick from those films that would come close to what was within the Restore Point narrative, however, this film is not a derivative of either. If we’re making comparisons, though, I feel that Altered Carbon (2018-2020) also needs to be in the conversation. That being said, the Altered Carbon series explores that very dystopian future that could result from the technology explored here. Restore Point has some similar themes with backups and restoration, but that’s where you have to draw the line. This was a fresh story, and I appreciated that.

 

 

The visuals within Restore Point were also amazing. The futuristic architecture was stunning and gave a nice contrast to the historical structures that date back hundreds of years, even now.

 

Restore Point worked well as a futuristic crime procedural with elements of intrigue and an exploration of moral gray areas and existential crisis. The stakes were clear and the sense of urgency to solve the case before events caught up brought plenty of suspense. I thought the ending was well done and I was smiling when the credits rolled.

 

Restore Point will be releasing in theaters nationwide on Thursday, February 8, 2024.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None 

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None 

Metascore – 74% 

Metacritic User Score – None 

IMDB Score – 6.6/10 

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5 

Trust the Dice: Parental Rating –PG-13

 

Movie Trailer: