Considering this was made with a microbudget, this is an excellent example of what can be achieved with little funds.
I had a very good experience watching it, especially because I am a hobbyist filmmaker myself and it was a joy to figure out how the film was made. Because of its limitations you can see how different elements combine to make the final film but it does turn seamless and authentic on multiple accounts with some very nice action / dramatic scenes. I especially liked the lighting work and the set design. Shout out also to the sound designer that made the film all the more immersive.
When it comes to the film itself and the story it presents, it has gaps at times in narrative flow and, onscreen, the producers tried to achieve too much with too little sometimes. But overall it was enjoyable!
Highly recommend if you are into filmmaking analysis, otherwise not so much.
Plot summary
In the future 2002AD, bounty hunter Captain Mo Harrington finds himself pulled into a sinister conspiracy.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
April 30, 2023 at 04:36 PM
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Small budget success, enjoyable for filmmaking hobbyists
The Skull Crushers
The film starts with Lt. Mo Harrington being injected with a chemical to change him physically and make him a better soldier. The year is 1989. The film then jumps to the "future" in 2002. It has "Fifth Element" CGI flying cars. There is a united Europe and Super City Europe has an underground crime network controlled by various gangs who deal a drug known as "The Dragon" and it is run by the Matriarch (Sarah Whitehouse). Phalanx is a private security company that has taken over for the police. It is also a drug company. Don't get ahead. They decided the lower districts would be under better control of the Matriarch, so they let her go. Mo stumbles on something called Project Centurion and wants to know what it is about.
This was horrible. It looked like it was made in 1989 with the fonts, bad CG, and soundtrack. I fully expected to see David Hasselhoff. The plot seemed disjointed and moved awkwardly as if a preteen wrote it. The fight scenes were mostly at night with jerk camera moves. Amazing how hardly anyone has an actual gun in this criminal society.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Amazing film considering the budget but still falls short
Using the money found in the back of the sofa and CGI the director and producers have crafted a work of love with nods to Bladerunner, Judge Dredd etc. Set in an alternative "future" with flying cars and handheld scanners etc the hero battles villians and evil corporations.. The acting is tolerable with a largely unknown cast of semipros but sometimes seems amateur. The filming is largely done at night to disguise the lack of real sets, but also to give it more atmosphere.
Ultimately the story is nothing you havent seen before, CGI good for the budget but still transparent, Many plot holes and questions abound probably forced by the budget, e.g. You have flying cars but everyone still fights with their fists?
If you are a fan of low budget indy films or scifi then this may be for you. Full kudos to the makers for the effort and I hope they can raise a decent budget next time.