A Philadelphia police officer sees a murder suspect he’s chasing die right before his eyes. Then every nine years later, that suspect is back again. What’s going on? In the Shadow of the Moon follows the policeman and his obsession to solve this puzzling mystery. Boyd Holbrook (The Predator) impressed me with his fine performance in this difficult role -- one that requires him to play a character who ages and changes dramatically through many time periods. Because Holbrook earned my empathy at the beginning, I wanted everything to come out right for him. And that’s why I tried to stay with the story. However, this movie is more than complicated. It’s downright confusing.  

And yet, supporting cast members help keep things interesting. Michael C. Hall portrays Holbrook’s brother-in-law, a by-the-book supervisor who tries to rein in Holbrook’s wild theories. Hall appears quite authentic here. As a fan of the “Dexter” series, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to accept him in a different role. Bookeem Woodbine (Overlord), as Holbrook’s partner, projects a warmth and humor desperately needed in a movie like this. And Cleopatra Jones (Fear Clinic), as the killer in question, oozes mystery and wows us in action scenes. We can’t help wondering who she is -- and why she’s murdering various people every time she shows up.

The end of the film reveals a big surprise about this mysterious killer -- but not one easy to understand. I am still trying to figure how the time travel thing works, and exactly what the blood moon has to do with it.                 

Obsession films -- high on my list

of what to see -- not to be missed.

It works in most genre movies.

In thrillers it seems most to please.

Yet “In the Shadow of the Moon”

has thrown my thinking out of tune.

Too many genres all at once

have made me feel like such a dunce.

Time travel, crime and mystery

sci-fi, action and fantasy.

Forget obsession. Try to start

working out each and every part.

Performances I cannot pan.

The actors do all that they can

to help us muddle through the plot.

For this, I thank each one a lot.

Unique in concept, I will say.

Don’t let my words keep you away.

Genres aren’t closed boxes. Stuff flows back and forth across the borders all the time. --- Margaret Atwood

I hate the idea of genres.  --- Billie Eilish

Released by Netflix 

Director: Jim Mickle

Writers: Gregory Weldman and Geoffrey Tock

For more information about In the Shadow of the Moon, go to the IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes website.