Use of Budget
I was quite surprised to find that this film’s budget was only $250; $100 of which was spent on Kraft services, and $150 on gun blanks. I find it hard to believe that the guns didn’t cost some money. Some of the interior locations, as well as the permit, had to have been required to shoot such an extensive gunfight scene in a public area. Given that this film was a part of a college course, it is possible that many of those costs were taken care of by the school; however that’s almost a disservice to the filmmaker, as they certainly need all the experience they can get, in every aspect of making a movie. Even so, the final project was quite well done and there is very little that needs improvement.
Because when push
comes to shove...
...All these officers have is
each other to count on.
Lasting Appeal
Though this is a short film, I think it could certainly appeal to a wide variety of people. There is enough introspection to build sympathy for the main character, and the high-action gunfight scene is very entertaining. The few issues, mentioned previously, are relatively minor as to not detract much from the film. I would encourage these filmmakers to continue to make movies – they certainly have a good handle on it already.
Overall Comment
This film is more than just a typical cop or crime drama; it is almost psychological. Even though many audience members won’t truly understand what it may be like to work this kind of job, we could all benefit from the insight in this film. Perhaps we could gain a deeper appreciation for those who take such risks; and for our own good fortune that we are not in a similar position.
The
author of half a dozen screen plays, two novels, and a proficient
camera-woman in her own right, Monika
DeLeeuw-Taylor is Microfilmmaker's lead writing analyst and
one of our top film reviewers. When she's not writing a critique for
Microfilmmaker, she's writing screenplays for Viking Productions.
