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Genre
Science Fiction
Length
29 minutes
Director
Laszlo Kovacs
Major Stars
Bryan Patrick Stoyle
Sylvia Andreae
Andrew Hookway
MPAA Rating
NR
Year Released
2006
Review Posted on
1/25/2008
Rating
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Review by Don Muchow
Overall, this film was not bad; in fact, it is better to say it starts off
rough but gets better, then ends somewhere between good and great. The age
of the actors and the quality of some of the dialogue, both in delivery and
writing, seemed to indicate that this was a student film or an early
independent production, so I did not judge it harshly.
The basic concept in the film is that an unknown attacker appears to be
singling out drifters of sorts, wire-heads (cyber-addicts if you will),
targeting them because of their particular type of technology, buzzing them
with some sort of disabling high-pitched whine, then gouging the hardware
out of their heads with a knife. It's an interesting premise that has
promise as the setup for a crime drama.
The initial scene, in which we meet two characters heading upstairs in a
security-monitored facility, was very nicely shot and well arranged. The
multi-pane presentation was quite effective, and the use of mixed color and
black-and-white was good. Some parts seemed to have been shot on high-def
video and not film, and I wondered if this was to enhance the feeling of
security video, in which case it seemed of too high a quality. Also, I did
not quite understand the relationship of this scene to the rest of the
movie.
Andrew Hookway ("Jazz")'s dialogue seemed wooden, underage and full of
run-on sentences that would be the envy of William Faulkner. His lines
seemed memorized and shot out, like he was afraid he'd forget them if he
didn't say them fast. I think both better writing and an older actor would
have helped.
"Sue" (Sylvia Andreae) did a fantastic job of playing the part of the
metal-handed detective who seems to have seen it all but is nevertheless
interested enough in her job to do it well despite the ineptness of those
around her. Both her physical appearance and delivery were very reminiscent
of a younger Linda Hamilton. I enjoyed the scene in which she drove the
"cybercide" knife into the table.
Because names were rarely mentioned in dialogue (which I think would have
helped), it was hard to tell the name of the character who played their boss
(the gentleman typing at the computer in the early scenes), or for that
matter the relationship among the main characters until much later in the
film than I would have liked. I think an older actor would have been more
convincing, but I don't have trouble believing that in a story line that
involves the "sphere wars", younger individuals might be in such positions
of responsibility. This part was well acted.
On the negative side: some of the supporting parts seemed wooden, like
props, and much of the dialogue forced and unfunny, with the exception of
the actress who played the woman in the Asian dress (I believe the kept
woman of "Cash" Farkash, played by director Laszlo Kovacs). Moreover,
throughout the film, it appears that the medium switches from HD to film and
back. Perhaps this is my imagination, but the change in resolution and the
"warmth" (film appears warmer than HD video) was distracting. My least
favorite line(s): "Funny girl"... It seemed unfunny; and "To reiterate:
huh?" This line alone could sum up my reaction to that actor's dialogue.
Bryan Patrick Stoyle ("Pax") cut one of the most interesting and fashion-future
figures in his collarless shirts, ascot / scarf, carnaby street style jacket
(reminiscent of Michael York in Logan's Run, or Malcolm McDowell in A
Clockwork Orange). Both physical appearance and acting reminded me of Owen
Wilson, including the aloof coolness of the character and dialogue. My
favorite line came at the end, when he is saying goodbye to Jazz and Sue: "If
I'm ever in town again, it would mean more people have died."
Director Laszlo Kovacs also choreographed the fight scenes, which include
fistfights as well as firefights. Only one fight scene felt fake: the one
in wh
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