Reversi is not your typical time travel movie. It doesn’t drown itself in scientific jargon or try to over-explain how the protagonist slips through the folds of time. Instead, it focuses on something far more grounded—grief, guilt, and the very human desire to reverse regret. In a sea of flashy sci-fi dramas, Reversi stands out for choosing emotion over spectacle, and in doing so, it mostly works.
The film follows Akid, a police negotiator who seems to have it together on the outside—composed in crisis situations, methodical in his thinking. But there’s something eating away at him. Beneath the professional facade is a man slowly unraveling, haunted by personal tragedy and a mysterious power. Akid has the ability to travel back in time, a gift passed down from his father. With every jump back, however, his life shortens. The film doesn’t waste time laying out the science of it—it’s spiritual, inherited, and inexplicable. That lack of explanation might annoy purists, but it allows the narrative to focus less on logic and more on consequence.
Beto Kusyairy, who plays Akid, carries the film with a quiet intensity. He’s not flashy or overly dramatic. His face often does more talking than his words do. You can feel the weight of every decision he makes, and that’s crucial in a story like this. Shiqin Kamal plays Sarah, his wife, with tenderness and sincerity, though her role occasionally feels underwritten. The chemistry between them is subtle but believable. You believe that this is a man who would risk everything—literally everything—to try and undo what went wrong.
The film’s strongest suit is how it handles its emotional core. Akid’s desperate attempts to fix the past are tragic, not heroic. There’s a cyclical nature to the narrative—he jumps back, changes one thing, and returns to find another consequence waiting. It’s like trying to plug one leak only for another to spring open. This repetition could have easily turned tiresome, but the film keeps the stakes fresh by showing how each change reverberates differently in his present. There are no dramatic explosions or convoluted timelines here. Just one man making personal sacrifices in a quiet war against time.
Visually, Reversi makes some interesting stylistic choices. It occasionally shifts aspect ratios during reflective moments, which adds to the internal experience of the character. The color grading leans into muted tones, mirroring the emotional numbness Akid feels. The cinematography isn’t trying to show off; it’s trying to stay close to the characters, and it succeeds in that mission. The score does what a good score should—it supports without drawing too much attention, slipping into the background like a pulse.
That said, Reversi isn’t perfect. It lingers a bit too long in certain places. The runtime stretches just over two hours, and while most scenes earn their place, a few could’ve been trimmed without losing impact. The pacing slows noticeably in the middle, especially during Akid’s more introspective periods. And while the film is emotionally rich, it doesn’t always give its side characters enough room to breathe. Some relationships feel half-sketched, and that limits the emotional payoff of their involvement.
Also, the explanation-or—or lack thereof—of Akid’s ability might divide viewers. The film presents his gift as something spiritual and mysterious, a kind of divine inheritance. While that works within the film’s emotional logic, it leaves a few narrative gaps. Some might find that refreshing, others frustrating. It’s a creative choice that works more as a metaphor than a mechanism, though the film insists it's not a metaphor at all.
Still, there’s something admirable about a film that refuses to hand-hold its audience. Reversi assumes its viewers are here for the feelings, not the formulas. It knows that the true tension lies not in how Akid travels back, but whether he should. And more importantly, whether it’s worth it.
By the time the credits roll, Reversi leaves you with a strange sense of calm. It doesn’t end with a twist or an explosion. It ends with a man accepting what he cannot change, and that’s surprisingly satisfying. It’s a film that understands the power of restraint—not every story needs to be loud to be profound.
In the growing landscape of Southeast Asian cinema, Reversi feels like a promising step forward. It’s emotionally ambitious, well-acted, and stylistically assured. If you’re looking for a high-octane sci-fi thriller, this isn’t it. But if you’re interested in a quiet, aching story about love, loss, and letting go, Reversi offers something rare—a time travel movie that isn’t really about time at all.
Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
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Publisher at Midgard Times