Revenge stories are tried and tested throughout cinema history, and they can come in a variety of forms. From action movies with John Wick to the terrifying final act of Carrie, revenge can provide tension, catharsis and entertainment all in one. Redux Redux, however, both strips things back with a lower budget and few locations, and amplifies the violence by spreading a grieving mother’s fury across the entire multiverse.
★★★★☆
Irene Kelly (Michaela McManus) uses a pod-like device to travel across parallel universes and avenge the murder of her daughter, repeatedly killing the man responsible. Her violent mission is further complicated when she meets the orphan Mia (Stella Marcus), who looks set to be the latest target of this killer, and she must care for her safety while reckoning with her personal vendetta.
Putting an ambitious science-fiction spin on a played-out action narrative is a great idea, but it can be laughable when done on a low budget. Luckily, Redux Redux is written and directed with style and class by the McManus brothers, who make the best of what they’ve got and deliver a smart, dramatic and super-fun action thriller.
Those who want the film to delve into its science-fiction roots more might be a bit disappointed. There are certain things you expect from a high-concept science-fiction plot that this film was simply never going to feasibly achieve with its budget, and as a result it doesn’t bother. Nevertheless, the minimal use of sci-fi is barely an issue. The multiversal angle to the story is not used as merely a gimmick, but rather a springboard to bring these two characters together and as a metaphor for Irene’s constant cycle of grief and vengeance. It gives the film a large scale on not a lot of money, and adds great emotional heft to what could’ve easily been a style-over-substance action narrative.
Irene as a character warrants many comparisons to iconic leads like the Bride in Kill Bill and Sarah Connor in Terminator 2. Thankfully, she never devolves into being just a parody of these characters, as the script anchors her motivations of revenge in raw human grief and allows McManus to deliver a fantastic lead performance. Credit has to go to Stella Marcus too, who is a revelation as the troubled orphan Mia. While she does look a little too old for the part, she is fantastic throughout and her chemistry with McManus is excellent.
Their scenes together are the highlights here, particularly towards the end when they’ve learned more about each other and the danger feels more real. Redux Redux is smart enough not to stop the story for moments of reflection, however. It zips along at a quick but steady pace, and the flow of the dialogue and performances keeps things ticking along.
It can be argued that Redux Redux is stealing one too many ideas from other things. The comparisons to The Terminator (1984) and the works of James Cameron are obvious, but the multiversal setting calls to mind the recent and acclaimed Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), and even the surrogate mother-daughter relationship has been done plenty of times before. However, Redux Redux tackles all of these well-worn elements with fresh execution. It’s not an inferior copy of previous works, but a loving re-imagining of classic ideas within an indie film context.
Redux Redux lives up to the hype it’s been receiving at film festivals over the last year. It’s not perfect, but it’s a stylish action thriller with a simple but cool science-fiction element, and plenty of emotional substance thanks to a great character dynamic between its two engaging leads.
The Verdict
By successfully realising its ambition on a small budget, balancing both style and substance, Redux Redux suggests that there is plenty of potential for the McManus brothers to tell even more inventive stories in cinematic form.
Words by Alex Paine
Redux Redux is on UK and Ireland digital platforms from 23 February 2026
Support the Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.