As a parent, the most precious thing in your life, above any possessions you own, is your children. Protecting children from harm or danger is the most important role of a parent. When a parent fails to do this, it can be one of the most devastating feelings imaginable. Writer/director Terrence Arlyn explores those very feelings in his feature ElemenTory.
After picking his son Mason (Nolan Ward) up from school, George (Tyrone Reeves) stops to talk with a neighborhood friend on the walk home. George reluctantly lets his son run home the rest of the way to use the restroom while he finishes chatting with his friend. George arrives back at the house, greeted by his partner Yvonne (Kenisha Pinckney), only to collectively realize that their son Mason never made it home.
Another little one, Tory (Francesca Rain) is accompanied by her teacher Ms. Williams (Crystal T. Williams) after school is over. Tory goes missing after Ms. Williams leaves her alone momentarily in the school hallway. Tory’s parents Neil (Shaun Paul Costello) and Sylvia (Juliette Valdez) are sent into a state of panic after engaging with Principal Athena (Phynjuar) and other school administrators to confirm that their daughter cannot be found.
A week goes by, and the local authorities make no progress in finding either of the two children. Frustrated with the lack of results, George and Yvonne reach out to Neil and Sylvia. The two couples team up and explore options to find their children without the help of the police. The foursome concludes that they must work together to find their children by whatever actions are necessary, even if it means using force.
“…they must work together to find their children…”
No one can claim that this movie lacks intensity, as the acting is very passionate and in your face. Emotions are heightened when each pair of parents experiences a lack of confidence in law enforcement and school officials. The parents’ frustration explodes off the screen as they seek to find their children. Not only is the acting fierce, but the events on screen are equally powerful. ElemenTory infuses elements of thriller action into a dramatic storyline.
There is a “whodunnit” aspect in the film. The cast of minor characters in the school and surrounding community leads you to question what really happened to the two children. Meanwhile, the film blurs the line between hero and villain to the point where I wasn’t quite sure who I was meant to be rooting for. Lead characters start as victims only to carry out actions on others that are no better or arguably worse than what was perpetrated against them in the first place. Nevertheless, ElemenTory will keep you guessing until the end.
School safety and protection of our country’s young people has been an increasingly hot topic of discussion over the past decade or so. As countless school shootings mar media headlines, the debate over how we protect children has been extensive. The world is rapidly changing with the growth of the internet, and methods of raising children have been forced to adapt. ElemenTory taps into this cultural discussion causing its viewers to consider how they might react and respond to such a traumatizing situation.
ElemenTory will be available on VOD and cable on February 13, 2024.
"…infuses elements of thriller action into a dramatic storyline..."
