Past Life – Movie Review
First Reaction – Past Life takes us on an interesting concept, keeping us guessing.
Director: Simeon Halligan
Writer: Ray Bogdanovich, Simeon Halligan, Dean Lines (Screenplay)
Cast
- Aneurin Barnard
- Jeremy Piven
- Nicholas Farrell
- Tim McInnerny
- Pixie Lott
Plot: Jason doesnt believe in reincarnation until hypnosis reveals that he may have been a killer in his PAST LIFE. He partners with hypnotist, Bevan, to explore secrets locked in his mind and try to solve a mystery from before he was born
Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Past Life starts when troubled veteran Jason (Barnard) takes part in hypnotist Bevan’s (Piven) show. However, it unlocks more troubles from his past, and his partner Claira (Lott) begins to guide him through the recovery process. Jason teams up with Bevan to explore the memories and they make a disturbing connection.
The pair begin to believe Jason was a serial killer in a former life and decide to investigate who was behind the murders. However, the clues are spotty and nobody wants to believe the science behind it.
Verdict on Past Life
Recap
The movie follows a troubled veteran who agrees to be hypnotised. However, it unlocks a disturbing truth about his previous life and he teams up with a hypnotherapist to discover who the former serial killer truly is.
Best Parts
The mystery behind who Jason is seeing in his visions is easily the most interesting part of the movie. It creates the conversation about reincarnation and previous lives.
Worst Parts
The movie tries to give us a bigger surprising outcome, but it relies on wanting that to happen, because nothing feels intense enough. Elsewhere, the supporting performances are not the strongest and it holds the impact on the personal life back. Meanwhile, the deeper story about his trauma from service doesn’t seem to have a big enough impact on the larger story.
Where to Watch
Past Life is out on digital 6 April 2026 from Miracle Media
Final Thoughts –Past Life has an interesting idea, but struggles to draw us in.
