The found footage film mostly associated in horror genre and it made independent movie Blair Witch Project a notable big screen success in the late 90s. A new film which incidentally also used the word "project" on its title, take this technique and its Michael Bay produced science fiction movie "Project Almanac."
Project Almanac revolves in the time travel machine built and used by teenagers. It could be compare to classic Michael J. Fox-starrer Back in the Future, but given the idea that lead stars in the film have different raging hormones and fond of technology and selfie. They record videos of their journey from present to future or past to present, which may rationalizes first -time director Dean Israelite's found footage approach. But does it set well with movie critics?
"Project Almanac is unlikely to replace Back to the Future or Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure in the popular imagination. Still, critics say this time-travel thriller is stylish and smart, even if it eventually runs out of steam and the found-footage gimmick doesn't quite work," Tim Ryan said in his review on Rotten Tomatoes.
"If "Project Almanac" had let the good times roll a little bit longer, with the danger and threat always at the periphery, then it probably would have been an even more solid ride. As it stands, it's a rare time travel movie that does try to cover some new ground, even while shaking off that nagging feeling of déjà vu," Drew Taylor commented on Indiwire's The Playlist.
Meanwhile, Bay and Israelite faced a problem with one the footages they used in the movie. In the Project Almanac's trailer some of the characters realize that incidents that never happened before like the news about "Plane Crash 77 Killed." Apparently, the plane crash there wasn't visual effects but a real footage of B-52 crash that happened at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington in 1994. It earned criticisms specifically from families of crash victims Col. Robert Wolff and Lt. Col. Mark McGeehan. After realizing that's indeed the incident, Bay apologized for their shortcomings.
"I let film directors make their movies at Platinum Dunes [Bay's production company] and give them tremendous responsibilities," Bay said to Air Force Times. "Well, unfortunately a very bad choice was made to use a real crash instead of creating a VFX [visual effects] shot, without realizing the impact it could have on the families."
"I have asked Paramount Pictures to remove this shot immediately from the picture," the Transformers director said. "I want to also extend my deepest apology to the families, and also to the U.S. Air Force."
Paramount Film's Project Almanac features Sofia Black D'Elia, Gary Grubbs, Katie Garfield, Sam Lerner, Sarah Nathan, Patrick Johnson, Allen Evangelista, Virginia Gardner, Amy Landecker, Michelle DeFraites, and Jonny Weston.
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