Project Almanac is going to get hit with the label of "found footage" even though it technically isn't. It's more of an in-the-moment first person documentary and hopefully this filming style sticks around a lot longer than the generic found footage look. The biggest problem a story has is when its characters are the ones filming and why they are filming it. Project Almanac could not have a better reason as to why the characters are filming, it's a TIME TRAVEL film! Who the hell is going to time travel and not document it? Even old Doc Brown knew he had to film his first tests of time travel and this film is no different.
When David (Johnny Weston) is accepted to MIT he is instantly hit with the news that he will only be award 5,000 dollars towards his tuition. He must quickly find a way to win one of the few remaining scholarships that will provide a full ride and not leave him drowning in debt. Enter his father's unfinished work; Project Almanac.
The story is pretty solid and makes some great references to classic time travel movies. The biggest problem that this film has, according to other reviews, is the endless paradoxes created by its characters. But guess what kid, time travel currently doesn't exist and there are no real rules to jumping through time because no one has ever done it. So, with that said, there are no real problems with the movie because there are no right or wrong ways to time travel.
The special effects and cinematography really sell the movie as a documented moment in time travel. A lot of the shots are made to look like they came from mounted chest cameras, which provided an out to the shaky cam syndrome that most of these types of films suffer from.
All the actors nail their roles and deliver performances that are believable. But the success of the movie lies with Johnny Weston as David. The whole movie rests on his shoulders and had he not delivered the film would have fallen apart. For this to work properly you have to care about the character of David and Weston pulls that off within five minutes of being on screen which, in turn, hooks you for the whole ride.
I have only one gripe and it's with the ending. Not the end end, but the last act leaves something to be desired, but the final scene kinda makes up for it. Overall Project Almanac is a kickass time travel movie that highlights every persons fantasy ideas of "if I could time travel".
Rating 9/10 stars
Rich Stile @TheDevilsEyes1