Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is one of the rare instances when the time travelling comedy gets it right and makes it even more impressive that the movie is one shot. Delicately balancing that thin line between outrageous comedy and believable comedy, while doing a sci-fi comedy is a very tough act, but the story and performances certainly help carry this very well-crafted film.
The film focuses on Kato played by Kazunari Tosa, as he is a café shop owner who discovers that there is a time loop between the café and his apartment upstairs. The precise amount of time that he must play with is two minutes, two minutes between the café and his apartment. As he discovers the time loop, he tries to experiment with the concept seeing how he can further the loop, and what mischievous things he can get himself into. He involves some friends, staff, and patrons to the café, and once everyone is on board brings tv and computer monitors down to the café to loop and extend the two minutes he must see what he can do. Throughout this experience, he gets himself into some trouble, takes somethings that don’t belong to him, and finds himself in a rather bad predicament, with the power of time travel on his side, can Kato figure a way to fix the mistakes he’s created, or will he have to pay the ultimate price?
What makes Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes so incredible is the way Junta Yamaguchi directs and Makoto Ueda crafted this script. With the constant twists and turns of the story, remembering the pacing and everything that has to come first before the next scene happens, as it’s an infinite two-minute loop is daunting. Junta Yamaguchi choosing to direct this wild adventure without appearing to make a single cut is nothing short of magnificent, engaging the audience throughout the entire film, packing the laughs and bringing that burst of intensity that leaves viewers at the edge of their seat through the third act. Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is a delightfully brilliant goodtime and will feed the genre junkies appetite.
