"Dead Beat"

Hard-boiled gruff dialogue, pulpy violence and strong visual imagery evoking SIN CITY fairly strongly were on show here as a beat cop with a license to kill and crack-addicted mummy issues looked to clean up the streets with his fists and gun.

This was a wild ride that included several dark moments ranging from decapitation to wrongful executions. Lead actor was exceptional and the green screen was really well done for 90%, with just a couple of minor blips here and there. I particularly liked how driven our man on the street was, and my goodness me that finishing song over the credits brought the wow factor.

Good sound. Crazy gonzo edit with plenty of memorable camera shots even if some didn't quite hit the mark. Better to be batting with 7 home runs and a few strikeouts than playing it safe. The team presented a dangerous world in their film and tone was consistent throughout which is the most important thing to remember here.

For me, having watched endless noir wannabes in this comp that simply follow genre staples, this gets huge marks for being ahead of the pack, kicking ass and taking no names. Tone uneven? Sure, but give me something slightly flawed and original any day of the week.

Could it make the Wellington final? Maaaybe. Depends whether the judges think it ripped off Rodriguez and Miller too much or not. I didn't think it did.

Story: 4/5
Technical: 4/5
Elements: 3/5
Overall: 4/5

A bit cheeky using the plot from our Year 12 Media Studies class film ;P

Seeing the characters brought to life in a more fluid and meaningful way was enjoyable to watch. The use of the greenscreen throughout was interesting and really gave the film a unique vibe.

Very much in the usual style of film making for you guys.
It was a nice surprise to see it come on in our heat.