film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Joel Fisher

  • Repossession: Review

    Repossession: Review

    Jim (Gerald Chew) is at a time in his life where it feels like the world is moving on and he can’t catch up. He’s passed over for promotions and his workmates make fun and belittle him and he feels like he can’t take anymore. Although Jim has a well-paid job, he’s fully aware that people see him differently now and before he knows it, he loses his job.

    Undeterred by how he’s been treated, Jim is adamant to keep up his position. Whether that to be in status of his job or in his life. However, the cracks start to show and sooner or later his wife, Linda (Amy Cheng) starts to realise that something is wrong. Jim is also plagued with the guilt from his past when he was in the army and a fellow soldier started behaving strangely.

    This and the guilt, remorse and frustration of not knowing where to go now he’s seemingly lost everything is driving Jim to the edge. So much so that a demon is unleashed and determined to make Jim’s life a living hell.

    Repossession is a slow burn horror film which uses a middle-aged man on the brink of unemployment as its focus of fear. The thought that one day life will be taken from you in the form of your job and that you will outlive your usefulness is something that plagues us all.

    However, Repossession takes all those feelings and then piles them up so high that the slowly building tension may become unbearable. Add to that a little matter of a demon literally manifesting itself in the ones that Jim loves and in an apparition that terrifies him, and Repossession may keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

    However, there is a matter of what the filmmakers are really trying to go for which may leave the film a little confused. There’s the metaphor of a man losing his job and therefore his identity and his mind. Then there’s the trauma of having witnessed terrible in his past and it’s unclear what the filmmakers may want to stick with.

    Saying all this though, leaving it open to interpretation may be more rewarding for some than others as they watch Jim’s descent into madness.

  • Alpha Rift: Review

    Alpha Rift: Review

    Nolan (Aaron Dalla Villa) works in a toy shop with his best friend, Gabby (Rachel Nielsen). They both swear they’re just friends, but there’s something between them that neither of them will acknowledge. Then one day when they’re messing about in the shop, Nolan picks up and puts on a helmet and it immediately causes him to pass out.

    When he awakens, he finds himself strapped to a gurney and senses that something is wrong. One thing leads to another and Nolan finds himself in front of Corbin (Lance Henriksen), the leader of a centuries old brotherhood who vow to rid the world of the demons that possess bad people. Overwhelmed by this sudden revelation that the games and stories he heard about, The Noblemen, are true, Nolan realises that he’s next in line to become the champion the world needs right now.

    The trouble is that Nolan has no fighting experience outside of games, so it’s going to have to take some training so that he can defeat Lord Dragsmere (Phillip N. Williams) who is ready for battle.

    Alpha Rift is a science fiction and fantasy movie written and directed by Dan Lantz. Clearly taking inspiration from nostalgic TV and film from the Eighties and Nineties, Alpha Rift seems to know it’s audience. Although it also feels a little disjointed in terms of story and plot. Alpha Rift also takes so much from other media that people of a certain age may remember that it nearly gets too much for itself as where some things are fleshed out, others aren’t.

    It clearly tries to cater for fans of science fiction and fantasy, but the script is just going through the motions to hit the beats of other media before. Even having Lance Henriksen brought in to bump up the credibility of the movie can’t make up for it, because he mostly delivers his lines as if he only just remembered them.

    Alpha Rift is an attempt at something and with the right execution it could have made way for a low budget franchise or even a series.

    However, no matter how much you ignore the plastic armour and the lack of chemistry between the leads, the script lets it down.

  • Bruno: Review

    Bruno: Review

    Daniel (Diarmaid Murtagh) is a homeless man who has lost all sense of trust and security whilst living on the streets. His only companion is his dog, Bruno and he’s the only one who ever get close to him. Then one day Bruno runs off and while Daniel is searching for him, he comes across a little boy called Izzy (Woody Norman) who seems to be just as lost as Bruno.

    Daniel does the right thing and wants to find Izzy’s parents so that he can go home. However, Izzy doesn’t want to go home and so Daniel reluctantly takes Izzy with him on the search for his canine best friend.

    Bruno is a realistic drama written and directed by Karl Golden. Depicted as the feel-good film of the year with the bond between a homeless man, a little boy and his dog it seems at first the Bruno may be the heart-warming drama that people may be wanting. However, besides the connections between Daniel and Izzy and how Daniel becomes a sort of father figure and protector of Izzy, the film never really strays too far into pulling at the heartstrings.

    Murtagh plays Daniel as a man lost by society who feels he’s better off that way and so the audience may be expecting a cosy and rather predictable character arc as Daniel learns some life lessons. Although it seems that director Golden has different ideas because whereas there are elements of this throughout, it never feels like he’s setting out to manipulate the audience.

    Instead, there are moments of warmth and there are moments of realism that talk about Daniel’s experiences being homeless and they seem to come from a real place rather than an attempt at poverty porn.

    The many ways in which Daniel’s character is portrayed and slowly drawn out to give a fully realised human being is well done also. With Murtagh not only playing an impressive lead role, but also giving a multi-faceted performance.

    Those expecting a saccharine story of learning to love again and finding your way in the world may be delighted or disappointed in equal measures by Bruno. However, the story is thought provoking and not disposable like so many films that may want to make you cry.

  • The Darkness Of The Road: Review

    The Darkness Of The Road: Review

    Siri (Najarra Townsend) is out on a lonely highway with her daughter, Iris (Leah Lauren) when they have to stop and fill up the car. They seem to be a little lost though and before they realise it, they’re out alone and stranded with little idea of where they are or how to get back to where they need to be. Then strange things start happening, Siri’s paranoia starts to increase as her and Iris are thrown into a chaotic and maddening situation with strange creatures attacking them and a feeling of lost hope.

    Siri also feels like there’s something not quite right with her daughter and that her existence in the car is hiding some unbelievable truth. Siri must find a way out or die trying.

    The Darkness of The Road is a psychological horror written and directed by Eduardo Rodriguez which takes a contained environment and with great cinematography and clever special effects puts his audience on edge throughout. Townsend and Lauren also put in great performances although there may be a question as to whether the age gap between mother and daughter may be too small.

    With its high concept idea and such a confined setting, Rodriguez puts its characters in a seemingly ordinary situation and watches it rapidly go out of control leaving audiences intrigued. For those who may want a suspenseful and thrilling movie then The Darkness of The Road certainly maintains its atmosphere throughout. There are also enough twists and turns to keep its audience interested.

    The problem is that although there are twists, they may not feel all that original and are quickly revealed which may make audiences groan because they were so obvious. Not obvious in the way that the audience should have seen it coming, but that the twists have been seen many times before in science fiction and supernatural movies.

    The biggest groan of them all however, will come at the end where the big twist is revealed.

    Whereas it’s supposed to be a big rug pull for the audience as all their expectations may have been questioned, it’s not as clever as the writer/director may have hoped and it feels a little underwhelming.

  • Portal Runner: Review

    Portal Runner: Review

    Nolan (Sloane Morgan Siegel) is in trouble with his sister, Mae (Elise Eberle), as she’s found him in her room without permission. Nolan tries to explain what’s going on but Mae just wants him out of her room. The trouble is that Nolan doesn’t know his sister because she’s never met her and with him being from a parallel dimension it all feels like it’s the same but different.

    There’s another problem as well, because despite Nolan’s gift for travelling between worlds, there’s something after him which is far more powerful and could be coming at any moment.

    Portal Runner is an indie sci-fi directed by Cornelia Duryée. Seemingly inspired by mid-90’s science fiction TV such as Sliders and video games such as Resident Evil, Portal Runner is a different kind of Christmas film which aims for nostalgia on a low budget. This may also explain the low budget special effects as well.

    Starting out in an unusual way, the audience aren’t let in on what’s going on for quite a while during the film. Despite Nolan finding himself in his sister’s bedroom, for all the audience knows then it may as well be a family drama. In fact, there really is no way of knowing that this is meant to be a science fiction movie at all. Besides the title being Portal Runner that is.

    This means that for a long time the audience is meant to wait which may give a couple of differing reactions. Firstly, those who have known the premise of the film may be a little disappointed as it’s about halfway through before it gives its sci-fi twist. Secondly, those unaware of the title may be put off by the jarring science fiction direction that the film takes.

    It may also be worth recommending Portal Runner to a friend without telling them the title just to see their reaction.

    However, as the film does get down to its plot and everything is revealed about Nolan’s plan to get rid of the evil that’s chasing him, the film does feel a little confused. There doesn’t seem to be any clear reason for this evil’s existence so the stakes aren’t really that high and seems only to be there to have an antagonist. Saying this though, fans of 90’s sci-fi nostalgia may enjoy the sly winks to the past.