THE DARK REDEMPTION

Produced by Peter Mether and Warren Duxbury
Directed by Peter Mether
Written by Peter Mether, Derek Curtis, and Dwight Boniecki
Edited by Peter Worland and Roger Grant
Directors of Photography - Mark Chapman, Tom Gleeson , Andrew Oliver, and Paul Pandovus

Damian Rice - Zev
Jason Chong - Klaus
Leah McLeod - Mara Jade

Rumor has it that this movie that sent George Lucas into a tizzy regarding the whole fan-film phenomenon surrounding his Star Wars franchise. Not that I can blame him after all, THE DARK REDEMPTION is ten times the movie that is Episode 1, at one-tenth the length and one-one millionth of the budget. Not only was he bested at his own game talent-wise, but he was bested on the price as well. Violate me copyright and show me up while you're at it? Hell, I would sue too.

Before all you Star Wars fanatics get a burr up your ass, know up front that I'm not a Star Wars fan. With the exception of The Empire Strikes Back, I feel that everything to come from the franchise, especially those Ewok TV movies and the cartoon Droids, is vastly overrated. Not that the series doesn't have imagination, it has that in spades, it's just that the series lacks focus and heart. Without the effects, you have movies without a soul. Episode 1 is really nothing more than a 2 ½ hour toy commercial that made 400 million at the box office.

Now you can let that burr run wild…

For the uninitiated, Mara Jade is a Jedi Knight who must deliver plans for the Deathstar to the Rebel Alliance two days before Episode IV. Detained by Imperial Forces on the mining colony Kessel, Mara must stay one step ahead of the Empire and that fan-favorite ass-kicker, Boba Fett. With political tension mounting, Mara and her rebel comrades fight for galactic freedom in this Australian produced flick. At least that's what it says on the box…

From my local comic shop, I hear all the Star Wars chat (why these guys don't discuss girls is a question for the ages). From what I gather, THE DARK REDEMPTION's Mara Jade ends up being Luke Skywalker's wife, if all the media tie-ins are to be held as canon. As Mara Jade, Leah McLeod is every bit as interesting as Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker was uninteresting. She's calm and collected, and knows how to kick a little ass.

The way fanboys tend to pedestal attractive actresses and the films they're in, I'm surprised THE DARK REDEMPTION isn't held in higher regard. It's almost taboo to admit your fondness for TDR. It makes me wonder if much of fandom's disdain toward the film comes from jealousy? This isn't your average fan-flick where a group of buddies get together and shot on the weekends. Produced on the 20th Century Fox lot in Australia, TDR was lensed by film industry Star Wars fans and employs professional actors, sets, and special effects. Well, as professional as you can get without paying anyone.

If you can track down a copy of THE DARK REDEMPTION, it's worth the look if for nothing else than to see what the world of fandom is capable of doing if they put their collective heads together. Not all fan-films have to reach the technical prowess exhibited by the filmmakers here, but the filmmakers do need the ingenuity and the heart to follow things through and make the best possible film they can…

…and they need to pray to God that George Lucas doesn't sue their ass.