TACFEST III Shortfilm Review: Mexican Action Martial Arts Noir ANGIE Offers A Taste Of Things To Come
B Squad Acción and VCB Films have been percolating for a while now, with fight choreographer Ángel G. Brophy pairing up with creatives like the good folks over at R4 Films LLC. Their output insofar earns all the praise it gets, while it makes even more sense that Brophy stays the course as well with a slate of directorial projects all his own.
To this, 17-minute action thriller, Angie, emerges on the shortfilm front of things, and a top contender at festivals including most recently at TACFEST in Toledo. Brophy shepherds lead actress Renee Ortiz in the title role, opening the short story in noir fashion with posters of a missing woman visible on street walls. We soon meet Angie, working on her last food delivery for the night before heading home at her mother’s urgent behest over the phone.
It all goes downhill from there as Angie’s destination turns out to be a stronghold for human trafficking the second she spots the same woman’s from the posters, desperately trying to escape before being recaptured and locked back inside. Ushered to leave at gunpoint, Angie’s gut-wrenching discovery echoes in her head as she struggles with what just happened, with little time to absorb the trauma, ensuing a moment of truth that compels her to do what she can and save the woman’s life.
The core action of Angie plays like a plot straight from Gareth Huw Evans’ Merantau, namely the moment where the lead actor raids a nightclub to rescue a young woman which sets off a series of explosive events. Angie feels like a preamble of that in its own right, as a possible concept that would explore Angie’s character and incumbent struggle beyond the shortfilm, and the shortfilm itself is an enticing sampler to start with.
Ortiz’s spotlight moment is an absolute show to watch as the action kicks in. A bike helmet, baseball bats and knives are the weapons of choice in Angie’s fight against a small gang of thugs until fists and feet are all that’s available, and you can bet that things get a little gory from here, particularly with Angie going ham on one fella with a knife at least thirteen times, including once across the throat. The best part about the spectacle here is the dramatic resonance that follows. There’s a weight to it which speaks to the substance in a short like Angie, and it really does leave you wanting more.
Everything from the cinematography and sound to the sound and performances make for a definitive presentation with Ortiz front and center, evocative of a style of filmmaking in Brophy that I could well get used to. And, kudos to Ortiz for the Best Action Actress award out of TACFEST this year. If Tijuan action has a face, the Ortiz’s would be a choice pick, and I honestly hope we get to see more from this star/director duo in the nearest future possible.
