Rent River (2023)

Two Minutes is Once Again a Fun Time to Have - River review by Strovey

River was created and made by the same folk, Junta Yamaguchi directing, who made the highly original and amusing ‘Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes’ which is a personal favourite of mine. Looking at the surface of River you can see it is a story about people caught in a two-minute time loop, the problems it causes, and how they get out of it. So far, so very similar. But, and this sounds positively ridiculous the two films have little else in common.

Like Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, River has a roster of likable, charming and in a lot of ways realistic characters. They all inhabit a film that is actually concise and short, a little over eighty minutes, but whereas the first film takes place within the confines of a café and apartment here we are transported to a beautiful rural area.

Aside from the engaging acting, the comedic and almost slapstick moments the strength of the film is you really do not know why what is occurring is happening. Firstly, those affected do not spend most of the film confused, not believing what is happening, but very quickly come to grips with the unlikely circumstances they are in. This moves the story along and also, for me at least, makes most sense, once something as weird as this happens a few times you are just going to accept it, no matter how unlikely. Then no matter what you think is going on you will probably be wrong, in fact, the paths you are led down are superbly fooling for the entire story, and that is all I will say.

The ending itself, which I cannot describe for obvious reasons, made me laugh out loud and I suppose you could say it might be a ‘cheat’ but I loved it.

If River sounds like a slight comedic fantasy romp about time problems then you could say it is but what has been done so wonderfully through the story is the real-life drama of how we treat each other, what we fail to do, how we should behave to our friends, it gives the story a dramatic twist that perhaps you did not see coming and rounds out the characters even more. Despite the fantasy, they are real, well-rounded people.

River is a wonderful film to watch, I guess it is a style that some would not like, but if you have seen Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes you will love this. It is well-acted, features a stunning and beautiful location, and some detailed and realistic characters for you to empathise with.

Just in case you are not sure, I really liked this film.

Fun sci-fi in snowy Kyoto - River review by Alphaville

Thoroughly enjoyable (though unrelated) follow-up to the five-star Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes. In that brilliantly realised film the characters have to deal with seeing two minutes into the future. Here the characters are trapped in a time loop that keeps sending them back to the same spot they were in two minutes ago. On each loop they have only two minutes before reset to figure out a way forward. Cue lots of frantic running around as they rush to achieve something useful before reset. Beautifully shot in single-shot two-minute takes, the film also makes the most of one of the snowiest winters ever experienced in picturesque Kyoto. The disk also has a fascinating hour-long making-of feature in which director Junta Yamaguchi discusses the shoot and further possible sci-fi films. More please.