I don't know what is going on with the reviews for this film; some calling it "the worst movie ever" and then another review saying, "best movie ever." The truth has got to be somewhere in the middle. This is where my review comes in.
My honest review is this:
First off, yes, this is a low budget film and some of the and some of the production leaves a lot to be desired. But having a small budget doesn't mean it is a bad film. Have you ever seen Clerks? Cheaply made but still a great film. A huge budget does not equal a great film. Just look at Waterworld or Godzilla. More isn't always better, sometimes it's just more. I think the filmmakers did the best they could given the resources they had.
As far as the cast goes, I think they did a good job. There was quite a few clichés thrown in but you have to remember this is, at its heart, a kung fu movie. Over the top and one dimensional characters are part of the storytelling. I'm sure the producers would have loved to have Ben Affleck or Jennifer Garner in this film but I'm pretty sure they could afford those actors.
The fighting scenes are actually pretty good. You can tell they have some good martial artists in there. Certainly not all of them. There are some interesting camera angles that do their best to present certain performers in the best light. I did cringe at times and laughed a few times but over all I enjoyed the action.
I honestly did not expect Pulp Fiction or Fearless when I sat down to watch this film. I figured it would be a low budget action movie that I could enjoy. And I was right. I like small budget films. I like to see what someone can create using the resources available. Creating something from nothing is the essence of art. And if someone, like Wayne Gerard Trotman, has to be the writer, director and star in in to see his vision fulfilled then so be it. Spike Lee does it all the time.
It seems to me that some of the negative reviews are attacking Trotman personally. To take the risk, both financial and personal, to make any kind of creative endeavor is no small thing. It takes incredible faith and guts to do that. I see this film for what it is; an enjoyable low- budget action movie that doesn't quite live up to its potential but is awesome in its own way.
