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THE NEW CHAPTER
Produced, Directed, Written and Edited by Trent Shumway, Slava Siderman, and Tommy Watt
Director of Photography - Slava SidermanJacob - Todd Crawford
Alex - Jason Fenton
Derrick - Tommy Watt
Tucker - Jeff McCullough
Ray - Patrick Crawford
Dutch - Leonard CliftonShot on Video action movies usually suck...usually. Up until THE NEW CHAPTER, that was pretty much a rule. In today's day of video game cinema, action movies without the buck can't deliver the bang. They bite off more than they can chew and action quickly degenerates into laughable inaction.
Again, up until THE NEW CHAPTER.
Trent Shumway, Slava Siderman, and Tommy Watt do what I thought was impossible, they create an SoV action movie that flat-out rocks with all the sure-handed style and pizzaz of their big budget counterparts.
Before anyone goes off on my blatent box quote hyperbole, let me clarify that by "big budget" I'm referring to post-Tarantino indies. I don't care to whom you sell your soul, you can't do TERMINATOR 3 without TERMINATOR 3 money, but you sure as heck can pull off a shoot-em-up caper film that roars to life through character, plot, suspense, and straight up moviemaking know-how.
Why do these guys succeed where so many have failed? Because they took the time to do it right.
There's a jaw-dropping shoot-out near the midway point that's delivered with all the intensity of the great cinematic shoots. You know the one's I'm talking about. Think HEAT, THE WILD BUNCH, or BLACK HAWK DOWN. Bullets fly, people die, and the numbers for both are immeasurable. What makes these gunfights stand out is their brutal ratta-tat-tat realism where the good guys don't always hit what their aiming for and the bad guys don't always miss. THE NEW CHAPTER packs that same punch.
What's ironic is that scene takes place as far from reality as possible, and it didn't even dawn on me until now.
I won't spoil that plot twist, I'll let you discover it for yourself. But I will give you plot skinny.
Jacob, as solid a biblical name as there ever was, is asked to pull one last job. He enlists the usual suspects, including his old partner, Alex, now studying to be a priest. Reluctantly, the men go after a mystical object that doesn't want to be recovered.
The heart of the film lies with the cast. It's their job to make a this group of miscreants...sympathetic...no, palatable is a better word. Make no mistakes, these men are scumbag criminals through and through, but they're scumbags you want to see through to the end. They aren't always likable or pleasant, but they're believable and that a far-sight more important.
It's amazing what backstory can do, isn't it? 2-D becomes 3-D flesh and blood.
Sometimes the exchanges between Jacob and Alex border on forced, especially those about the past, but they're delivered in that curt guy-speak where they ring with sincerity. They've been to hell and back for each other, and they truly are their brother's keeper whether they want to be or not. Thematically, that's straight out of old school John Woo. Remember ONCE A THEIF or BULLET IN THE HEAD? You do what's right by your brother, no matter who wrong it might be.
Action with heart. When was the last time you saw that? Even better, when was the last time you saw action that stayed true to the characters? Remember, these guys are scumbag criminals
I'm not sure how big a market there is for SoV action, but THE NEW CHAPTER will make one helluva calling card for everyone involved. There isn't a person involved that isn't giving 100% High-end bang for discount bucks can be done right, the proof is in THE NEW CHAPTER. .