Fantasia review: Mega Time Squad is a fun blast of New Zealand insanity

There’s something so irresistible about the deadpan New Zealand sense of humour that it can elevate simple insults and name-calling into comedic gold, a notion that forms the backbone for director Tim van Dammen’s Mega Time Squad, making its world premiere at Fantasia.

A time-travel comedy set in Thames, New Zealand, the film focuses on a petty criminal named John (Anton Tennet), who comes into possession of a time-travelling bracelet while attempting a heist behind the back of Sheldon, the local crime boss (played hilariously by What We Do in the Shadows‘ Johnny Brugh).

John realizes that by pushing a button on the bracelet he can make very small jumps back into the past, which quickly leads to multiple versions of himself existing at the same time, all while being hunted down by Sheldon’s slightly moronic henchmen.

With such a great premise, Mega Time Squad is mostly content to simply have the multiple versions of John insult and inconvenience one another while trying to outpace Sheldon’s crew. The laughs come mostly from the characters simply existing in the same room and talking smack, as opposed to any huge set pieces, which gives the film a languid quality that will probably appeal to stoners or those who end up turning this on late after a bender. Unlike with many high-concept sci-fi films, van Dammen manages to wrap the story up in a great way, ensuring that this will likely become a cult favourite that fans return to again and again.

Mega Time Squad screens on July 17th at 1:00 pm. Tickets and the complete Fantasia schedule can be found here.