This new horror/comedy/sci-fi from Jason Richard Miller, whose other directorial efforts include Hatchet 2 and Frozen (no, not THAT one) stars co-writer Brea Grant (Dexter, 12-Hour Shift) as Madeline, half of a husband-and-wife team (the other half being Owen (Parry Shen of General Hospital fame) who spend their time bitching at each other whilst searching for the secret to time travel (the latter with the backing of entrepreneurial Rory Devonshire (Richard Riehle of Casino & Marfa).

From the very off Madelines has the Eighties stamped in neon pink and purple all over it. The style of music (courtesy of Matt Akers, also credited with that of recent release Bae Wolf) flung me straight back to the days of my childhood, when movies such as Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator and Back to the Future abounded; part of a maelstrom of the potential wonders of travel through space and time, hyperspeed dimension-crossing, super-intelligent problem-solving machines you could converse with, and other marvellous things hitherto only dreamed of in the technological world.

At the time we really didn’t rule out any of this for the future; some of it was, in fact, pretty much a given (for context, we watched the above films on VCRs, which we still thought was an amazing thing to be able to do).

So while Madelines isn’t set in the 80’s, the opening scenes of the couple working, close-up and furrowed-browed, through clouds of smoke from soldering irons, over many circuit boards, amid flashing coloured lights bouncing off glass bell jars in a semi-dark garage are every inch the mad scientist or evil genius so typical of that era.

Experiments sending oranges into the future proving successful, they’re encouraged by Rory to push on without delay, resulting in the reduction of a rodent to its component parts (animal lovers beware). Later, alone and preferring to risk the same fate herself rather than add to her guilt over the previous subject’s, a slightly inebriated Madeline, in a sudden wave of drunken self-assuredness, tweaks the code and impetuously performs the experiment on herself, which initially appears successful.

Little does she know she’s unwittingly created a loop in the code, the result of which is that at the same hour every day for 3,600 days (the calculation of which I’m still unclear on), another Madeline will appear in their world, which as all sci-fi fans know, is breaking a major rule of time travel. Two of the same person in one reality? It never ends well, let’s face it.

After encountering and accidentally killing the first surplus Madeline, Owen informs Mads no.1 and they decide on this as the solution to the problem, giving rise to some comedy moments (“Owen, can you NOT put the hacksaw in the dishwasher?”), the style of which surprised and amused me. Comedy horror doesn’t usually make me laugh out loud unless it’s spoof or parody, but with the deadpan delivery (reminiscent of that in Shaun of the Dead), things happening in the background Mel Brooks style (such as Owen’s solo struggle with the daily Madeline as Mads no.1 distracts Rory), and recurring yet understated themes (Madeline’s wine-drinking, the hair in buns), I did find much to giggle about.

It’s not long before things turn sinister though; the plan begins to disintegrate and the number of Madelines begins to increase.. except they’re alive, aware, and evolving…..

Neither comedy horror nor sci-fi are my movies of choice, but Madelines hit the right notes with me. Though I felt it slightly overlong and rather confused towards the end, it’s an even mix of the aforementioned genres that’s worth 80 minutes of your time.

7.5 out of 10 Insane Inebriated Experiments