I really enjoyed these scenes. Jacob Murphy and Elena Seepe did the special effects, and they clearly had challenges ahead of them. With very little money and Darryl Shaw’s creative editing, they make the most of the very small budget. And again, the Trace Mayter character kept me audibly amused more than once. Adam Buller seems to have a knack for the funny. He was a little obnoxious and a lot sarcastic.
This is about where the “Re-Enactment” part of the title ends and why it seems like a bit of a misnomer. No big deal, though. In the grand scheme of things, this is fairly trivial. It certainly doesn’t mar the bargain level Troma-esque sci-fi horror fun.
Things go from bad to worse with the androids, and Ermus starts to lose his precious control, despite his overblown puppet master syndrome. Ok, maybe it’s just overconfidence, but things get more troublesome, as his grasp of the situation gets more tenuous. Trace and Ermus verbally spar while trying to one-up each other in a battle of jailer and prisoner. Soon he’s dealing with some poor judgment on his part and needs some help.
“All this adds up to a movie you probably shouldn’t show your kids.”
Android Re-Enactment shifts into a more serious mode, and we get the aforementioned elements of Blade Runner, with a touch of Terminator homage, but still with a humorous twist. Let’s just say that Ermus gets his Schwarzegger style on with considerably less imposing results. It’s a delightful LOL moment.
This film has a little something for everyone, too. It’s got the science fiction elements, and a healthy dose of horror blood and guts, too. You remember I mentioned knives, right? There’s also an ill-advised use of a power drill, not to mention exploding bullets. All this adds up to a movie you probably shouldn’t show your kids. But it could make for a great low budget cult favorite.
As the film comes to a close, I was particularly taken by the last scene. It comes full circle in the best possible way. It definitely makes an impact. Android Re-enactment maximizes every bit of its’ resources to entertain with a solid cast and the use of practical effects that impress for such a shoestring budget. This is true independent film making and the kind of work that needs support. With an original voice such as this, I’d be looking forward to seeing what writer/director Darryl Shaw has up his sleeve next. If the sci-fi horror genre is your kick, you can check out this film on Amazon, Vimeo, or VOD now in a new 91 minute “Stealth Cut.”
"…an ill-advised use of a power drill, not to mention exploding bullets."
