A new flying superhero has arrived in town however this one appears to be targeting specific people to kill them – dropping them from the sky or in front of trains etc. It soon becomes apparent that his targets are criminals which, while not morally right, makes the criminal community nervous – not least of which is Mike, a former cop driving to a gun deal.
This short film is another one that feels like a pitch to get something bigger off the ground and to be fair it is an ambitious film that aims for the crowded superhero market. This is a little different though, since the Flying Man of the title is a vigilant who has decided to kill those who break the law. We open with a news footage montage of this happening with commentary over it – this gives the film an edge of realism but also buys the effects some love since the "grabbed footage" means more distant and less clarity. From here we step into the car with Mike and Rob and now the action is dialogue driven with only the wait for the flying man to potentially drop in. This section is not as good as it needed to be – there isn't enough added about the characters and the "wait for it" aspect is pretty much the whole deal.
Of course this aspect is still very good and is restrained in what it does. The return for the final minutes is again technically very impressive and the conclusion leaves open questions and room for more. I liked the focus on Mike rather than the flying man since this makes the short be more than just a series of effects shots, although of course it is still easy to see it as such. Worth a look for the dark edge and the nice tense air it has throughout.
