Redux Redux | 2025 SXSW Film Review

Irene Kelly (Michaela McManus) has lost her entire world after her 14 year-old daughter Anna is kidnapped and murdered. Irene sets out on a multiverse journey to hunt the killer down and murder him through various brutal means, learning shocking information and life lessons along the way. With this revenge being her only means of purpose, Irene is challenged by her big heart that still exists below and despite her pain.

As she runs from her pain and problems, Irene finds solace in a multiverse fling with the same man, played by the ever-incredible Jim Cummings (Thunder Road, The Wolf of Snow Hollow). Redux Redux is an insightful outlook into the parental grief of losing a child and how the fuel of revenge can take its toll.

Redux Redux kicks off with a brutal visualization of what Irene has become capable of, with zero context yet of what has occurred and why she happens to be setting a man tied to a chairon fire. Despite how horrific this is for the unknown man, you can see the despair of her loss written all across Michaela McManus’ face, tears forming in her eyes as she watches this evil spawn turn into a s’more. Audiences are immediately drawn in by this strategic decision from the McManus brothers; by the way, is that a thing? Or did I just equate them to the Coen brothers? Either way, captivation is immediate and only sustained from there.

Along her journey, Irene runs into a young girl, Mia Brown (Stella Marcus), a runaway who has clearly been through the wringer at only 15 years-old. With a brazen, bold outward demeanor, it becomes evident this is just a facade for Mia. Much like Irene, she craves for normalcy, stability, and simply someone who cares for her. Despite Mia’s attempts to appear cold, Irene can’t seem to leave her behind. From there, the two embark on a dark multiverse journey of survival, revenge, and life lessons. Redux Redux has a centralized thematic tone of how we as humans process and cope with traumatic events. There are usually only two paths out of it: you either run from your grief or you face it head on and turn your passion into purpose. Irene and Mia must decide which path they will follow.

The story of Redux Redux is not necessarily about Anna, nor is it even about the revenge at its core. The McManus brothers (you are welcome again) are very intentional with the script in that every little detail and the gratuitous violence against women this killer perpetuated, are not the central theme or witnessed on screen. Audiences are left with a lack of clarity on certain elements – almost left untied – but not without good reason. Finally, we can use our imagination again! This isn’t a true crime mystery where Irene is ruminating and investigating what happened to her daughter; she knows, we know, and that’s all that needs to be understood.

Kevin and Matthew McManus craft a haunting yet captivating journey through grief and vengeance, anchored by Michaela McManus’s raw, unforgettable performance. Redux Redux is a film that never lets go, challenging audiences to confront the weight of loss, the complexities of revenge, and the redemptive power of human connection in a world that often feels lost in shadow.