Mega Time Squad
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}{{Infobox film
| name = Mega Time Squad
| image =
| caption = Film poster
| director = Tim van Dammen
| writer = Tim van Dammen
| producer = Tim van Dammen
Anna Duckworth
| starring = Anton Tennet
Jonathan Brugh
| cinematography = Tim Flower
| music = Mike Newport
| editing = Luke Haigh
| studio = Dark Sky Films
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|2018|7|17|df=yes|Fantasia International Film Festival}}
| runtime = 86 minutes
| country = New Zealand
| language = English
}}
Mega Time Squad is a 2018 New Zealand action-adventure crime comedy film produced, written and directed by Tim van Dammen and starring Anton Tennet and Jonathan Brugh.{{Cite web |last=Screen |first=NZ On |title=Mega Time Squad {{!}} Film {{!}} NZ On Screen |url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/mega-time-squad-2018 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=www.nzonscreen.com |language=en}} The film premiered at Fantasia International Film Festival on 17 July 2018{{cite magazine|url=https://badfeelingmag.com/2018/07/16/fantasia-review-mega-time-squad-is-a-fun-blast-of-new-zealand-insanity/|title=Fantasia review: Mega Time Squad is a fun blast of New Zealand insanity|magazine=Bad Feeling|date=16 July 2018}} and by the end of September was locally premiered at Sydney Underground Film Festival.{{cite magazine|url=https://happymag.tv/tim-van-dammen-interview/|title=We caught up with director Tim Van Dammen to chat his hilarious new film Mega Time Squad|magazine=Happy|date=5 September 2018}} Later on, the film had its international premiere at the Chicago Cinema Society's Chicago Filmmakers section on 20 November 2018.{{cite web|url=https://chicagocinemasociety.org/uncategorized/mts/|title=Mega Time Squad (Chicago Premiere) hosted by The Chicago Cinema Society at Chicago Filmmakers|publisher=Chicago Cinema Society|date=20 November 2018|accessdate=3 November 2021}}
Plot
In Thames, New Zealand, John is a petty thief who works alongside Sheldon, his boss. One day, during an attempted heist he steels a bracelet which upon putting it on can send one travelling through time. But time traveling can be unpredictable, and John, unknowingly ends up cloning himself. The clone then clones another John, and another. To keep his clones in check, John forms a "Mega Time Squad".
Cast
- Anton Tennet as John
- Jonathan Brugh as Shelton
- Hetty Gaskell-Hahn as Kelly
- Charles Chan as Wah Lee
- Yoson An as Wen
- Jaya Beach-Robertson as Hootch
- Milo Cawthorne as "Damage"
- Ashley Jones as Taotie the Tour Guide
- Mick Innes as Les
- Arlo Gibson as "Gaz"
- Morgan Albrecht as Shayna
- Josh McKenzie as trashinator
- Lewis Roscoe as worker on the toilet
- Axl Scott as Gibbo
- Tian Tan as Wah Lee
- Paul Trimmer as Marcus
- Simon Ward as Jay
- Eru Wilton as Terry
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 79% based on 19 critics, with an average rating of 6.4/10.{{cite web|title=Mega Time Squad|website=Rotten Tomatoes|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mega_time_squad|publisher=Fandango Media|accessdate=3 November 2021}}
Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote "The unique mix of simultaneously droll and broad humor is very nicely delivered by a well-cast ensemble, resulting in a polished oddity that should make a splash at home, while attracting decent overseas interest".{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/fantasia-film-review-mega-time-squad-1202887372/|title=Film Review: 'Mega Time Squad'|last=Harvey|first=Dennis|magazine=Variety|date=1 August 2018}}
Critics from RogerEbert.com had a split opinion. Odie Henderson gave the film 2 stars out of 4, writing "I still retain a tween boy's affection for movies that dare to be this goofy".{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mega-time-squad-2019|last=Henderson|first=Odie|title=Mega Time Squad|website=RogerEbert.com|date=15 February 2019|accessdate=3 November 2021}} Nick Allen, on the other hand, called it "A grounded sci-fi mini-odyssey with lots of creativity and even more laugh-out-loud gags".{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/fantasia-2018-relaxer-mega-time-squad-room-laundering|last=Allen|first=Nick|title=Fantasia 2018: Relaxer, Mega Time Squad, Room Laundering|website=RogerEbert.com|date=18 July 2018|accessdate=3 November 2021}} A review at RNZ wrote, "Mega Time Squad is the sort of film that could only come out during the Spring Clean, and it's by no means the worst of that genre."{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Simon |date=2018-09-12 |title=About Flip 'n Time: Trans-tasman comedy duel |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/atthemovies/audio/2018662214/movie-reviews-the-flip-side-and-mega-time-squad |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}
Karl Puschman opened his review for the New Zealand Herald by stating "You don't need a time travelling device to realise that Mega Time Squad is destined to become a future cult classic."{{Cite web |date=2025-02-08 |title=Movie Review: Mega Time Squad |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/movie-review-mega-time-squad/JROOFAH2TTGJEUQCYLOQ47C4NM/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|5758726}}
Category:2010s action adventure films
Category:2018 action comedy films
Category:2010s adventure comedy films
Category:New Zealand action comedy films
Category:New Zealand adventure films
Category:New Zealand crime comedy films
Category:Films about time travel