Nightfire

Written by Brando Benetton and Los Silva, and directed by Benetton, Nightfire starts firing on all cylinders from the start and never lets up once during its entire 45-minute runtime. United States Agent Carter (Lorenzo Pisoni) and Agent Ross (Greg Hadley) are on a covert mission to retrieve stolen military microchips, which contain top-secret information. The plan is going well until Carter stumbles upon Olivetti (Dylan Baker), a prisoner of war.

Risking his life, and the success of the mission, Carter decides to free this man. Luckily, Carter, Ross, and the ever grateful Italian make it out alive. But, they move from one danger to another, as the U.S. holds a press conference praising the rescue of Olivetti. This presents an enormous security risk, as those who took the patriotic poet, to begin with, could try to kill or capture him again. With shifting loyalties, double-crosses, and revelations of true intentions, not everything is as it seems.

“Risking his life, and the success of the mission, Carter decides to free this man.”

Unless Nightfire had a budget of $100+ million, which it did not, it looks much more polished than its resources might suggest. Garrett Nicholson’s cinematography is gorgeous, with every frame lit to perfection. The pacing of the film is also excellent, as, after the rescue, it does slow down a bit. This is when information on Olivetti, the plans for the conference, and an early betrayal of confidence, in a fashion, that leaves Carter questioning his superior’s orders, all come to light. After the (literal) explosive opening act, this section works for resetting the stage and expanding the intrigue; thus, it still feels just as intense as the earlier action beats.

Each action scene is exhilarating and well shot. Quick, but still easy to follow, editing adds a sense of urgency, while the viewer’s concern for the characters’ well keeps them on the edge of their seat. The lighting throughout adds a realistic, yet highly stylized look to the entire production. Plus, the music, courtesy of Jonathan Russell, gets the pulse-pounding, as it is just as invigorating as the spectacular visuals on display.