I guess if there’s any steadfast rule for success in making a short these days, it’s this: Do a spoof of a popular science fiction series. That in mind, “Redshirt Blue” seems to be just another off-the-assembly line of wanna-bes, even if it has occasional moments.
Red shirt Averson hates his job — working for a womanzing captain, dealing with shoddy equipment and beaming down for every death duty that comes along. As any Trekkie knows, the extras in red shirts are walking bullseyes for Klingons, tribbles and lots of other dangerous intergalactic s**t. Averson has to show newbie Leeds the ropes before both of them don’t make it to next week’s episode.
Looking like it’s shot in someone’s barren backyard (or as barren as Long Island can look) the film is mostly composed of wink-wink self-aware dialogue between the two guys. It’s not particularly original or innovative, even with the occasional laughs.
