It’s not too far into the year but it didn’t take long for me to connect with a director whose previous work on the shorfilm, Handuken, came on my radar once upon a time. Meeting filmmaker Chris Chung last week, I had the honor of almost immediately engaging an interview ahead of the release of his latest shortfilm, Soho Jimbo.
A small string of shortfilms into his young movie career, actor and director Ben Lettieri is on track to arrive this summer with his latest feature length debut, The Liberator. Boasting a martial arts-infused adventure, the film does have a little bit going for itself with its low-budget status and an adherence to a specific niche. Alas, it deserves a curve of sorts, but a small one.
Lettieri stars as Ben Silver, a former soldier and uniquely young, decorated war hero, now a private investigator who operates by his own morals and principles, paid or not, thus earning him his eponymous title through word of mouth. His is a reputation that has earned him infamy in the criminal underworld, specifically for London crimeboss Harry Miller, eager to make a profit off of a priceless Ming Dynasty vase he successfully steals from its owner, ex-con and museum curator Melinda Page. She turns to Silver for its retrieval and in the course of the mission, Silver runs into the usual horde of baddies and thugs, though this time with a twist in the form of Rolf, former fellow comrade-turned-rival. Outnumbered and outpaced, Silver’s new gig is one that will require more fists and kicks than he can dole out by himself.
The film thrives largely on Lettieri as a leading man a la baby-faced Transporter…that is, without the cockney accent or Statham-esque brooding, the swank Audi or matching suits. There’s also a great deal of comedy offered with some notable wit and tongue-in-cheek sexual overtones, as well as lots of action and some interesting plot points that help carry the film through to some extent. Seasoned thesp, actor Keith Chanter serves as a memorable anchor for the film in the role of Silver’s elder and mentor, Nigel. Co-star Jemelin Artigas enters the film’s first act midway in the supporting role of Silver’s girlfriend, Tanya, and she does amply well for the limited screentime she gets before making room for Bayly’s Page to stake her claim as Silver’s new love interest.
With all these and above in mind though, it’s hard to fully ignore the many places where the film falls flat, which, ironically, includes Lettieri when it comes to his overall delivery as an action film star. The first fight scene takes place in the film’s opening sequence at a strip club with Silver effortlessly taking out a handful of thugs waiting to get hit in the face…that is if that’s your thing. Essentially, that is also the effect you get when you end up with a fight scene that looks more rehearsed than natural on screen, and unfortunately, save for some of Lettieri’s other, maybe better moments, it becomes more and more ominous in later scenes where it counts. Richard Ellegard stars as Rolf, Silver’s nemesis of yesteryear who uses his employ under Miller as an advantage to take out Silver once and for all. Straightaway, I expected better from a seemingly imposing villain while left with two fights between both characters, and none of which were better than the other with stiffly-performed techniques and performances characteristic of actors entirely new to the field. Dan Cobb lends some ample action to his screentime in the role of Detective Stevens who assists Silver on his own accord, while most of the film’s better fight scenery goes to the role of Keung, played by co-star Martin Wan – a martial artist and astute UK stuntman homegrown at Leeds-based film and stunt group, SG Action who lay out the floor plan for much of the film’s bigger scenes.
Serviceable acting and fun action aside, much of The Liberator is a test of one’s patience. From start to finish, we have a story that isn’t afraid to show skin and get shameless in its caricaturing from time to time, especially with co-star Daniel Jordan on hand as Miller, an eccentric and over-the-top villain who does manage to carry the film through its lampooning on his end. The script meanders between trying to identify Lettieri as an action hero and fumbling a few times in some of the dialogue, often doing a disservice to the film’s tagline which is “Less Talk…More Action.” – a theme that noticably recurs a few times in the first act, and it’s not until the remainng twenty minutes or so that you finally get a sense of urgency and imminent danger to fully engage your viewership.
To be frank, I like that Lettieri is doing something to contribute to the genre, and I’m personally pleased with some of the talent he’s brought aboard. For all this and more, The Liberator surely grants at least one viewing for anybody curious to see what he has to offer to fans and moviegoers. It’s a film that can be appreciated for its efforts if you love the action genre in general and by the finale, at best, you can thank yourself for sticking it out as long as you have, and possibly with a keg of beer in the room. Beyond that, Lettieri has a really long way to go before he can hold a candle to other independent productions of better caliber.
Ash (Grant Steven) is a young man whose life is torn apart after the woman he loves is murdered. He is approached by a mysterious figure, The Trickster (David Ajala) who offers Ash the abilities to punish those who have wronged him.
Two powerful female warriors must journey across a post-apocalyptic land to fight a ritual duel, and fulfill an ancient prophecy.
Hollywood director Shane Black may be on the way with a feature-length Predator sequel, but that isn’t stopping a small group over in the U.K. from pushing forward with an independent take of their own with the new shortfilm project, Predator: Dark Ages. The official Facebook page for the project has since long been launched to help gather as much of a readership as possible, with concept art and posters, and a teaser unveiled not too long ago.
That teaser is now accompanied by the brand new crowdfunding video which you can now view at the official Kickstarter page which just launched today.
SYNOPSIS:
Our Predator fan film is set in the Dark Ages, it is a period in history where mankind was plagued by disease and famine, as well as having to live and die by the sword.
Our film follows a group of war-torn Templar knights who have returned from the Eastern lands, back to England, only to find that the enemy is now a lot closer and a lot more deadly than before.
Throughout time the Predator has always looked for the greatest warriors to fight in battle, and with this short film we will see him put to the test against the some of the best history has ever seen, the Templar Knights.
Their battle with the Predator is the thing Myths and Legends are made of.
The Predator stories have always been told in a variety of ways dating back to the John McTiernan-directed classic, even so far the two crossover films that mingled the supernatural hunter with the Alien universe within the last decade. So to see a director use the title character as the driving force for a period short featuring templar knights is not at all odd, but quite the opposite. And with the goal of keeping true to the source material, Predator: Dark Ages appears to be something that guarantees promise.
If you’ve missed out on the teaser then check it out and then head over to the official Kickstarter page to learn more about the intended cast and crew, as well as how to donate, and the perks you will earn on top of getting to see another potentially amazing piece of indie film!
The new trailer is out for the upcoming action thriller, The Liberator, featuing actor, seasoned martial artist, writer and independent filmmaker Ben Lettieri in his feature debut. It’s an indie project and has a bit of cheese to it, but it looks fun to watch so far based on the new action packed footage below, which also happens to feature several key members of the UK-based stunt team, SG Action with team member and co-star Martin Wan.
The film also stars Daniel Jordan, Jessica Bayly and Keith Chanter and is currently still filming with pick-up shots to follow this summer with a release likely for late 2014 or early next year. Keep your eyes peeled and stick around for more updates!
SYNOPSIS:
Have you ever felt like life was pushing you aside? As if your purpose was fulfilled? Ben Silver did. Once a British Special Forces soldier, he became the youngest man ever to receive the Victoria Cross for acts of gallantry on the front line. Ben was honourably discharged, received his 15 minutes and then left to ponder a career in politics. Sounds like a pretty fulfilling life, right? Well, not for Ben. You see, he’s not a talking man, he’s an action man! The concept of a life behind a desk just doesn’t bode well to an adrenalin junkie with a self confessed addiction for energy drinks. he knew he had to do something else, but that’s not the only reason why. There’s a deeper element to Ben that drives him forward every day, the legacy of his parents. His father, a former SAS soldier and his mother, a world champion martial artist, were both killed when Ben was 15. It was during crossfire in South America when trying to help a friend in need. He now lives in honour of what they died for, risking his life on a daily basis as a secret mercenary for hire in the guise of a private investigator who only helps those in real need. This brings us to his current case. Ben’s strong morals are tested when he agrees to help the beautiful Melinda Page, a reformed cat burglar, now manager of a respectable museum who has ironically been burgled herself. He must retrieve a priceless Ming Dynasty vase from the ruthless and eccentric London based con-man/gangster Mr Miller. With the help of his elderly mentor Dr Nigel Carter and undercover cop Daniel Stevens, all seems almost routine for Ben, except for one small detail, he only has a few hours to get the vase back before it is shipped overseas to black market buyers, never to be seen again. Not to mention the fact that Miller is not planning on sitting back and just letting Ben do his thing. Rolf, Ben’s arch rival, is hired to take care of him before he can even get close to the vase. The race and the chase are most definitely on! Will our courageous hero succeed in his mission, or will his brash actions be outwitted?
As always with the state of independent movies, unfortunately some projects take a few years before they are allowed an audience. Such was the case for U.K. filmmaker, martial artist and actor Beau Fowler over at Ki Films who has a nice little handful of short films available on his YouTube channel, including a brand new shortfilm titled Bound, an intriguing character study of a special forces Captain and his reluctant, unyielding hostage.
The new action short is more character driven than anything, and provides a nice little dramatic scope into actors Amed Hashimi and Christian Howard, both who appeared in the recent release of the UK action brawler flick, Green Street 3. Fowler also does a terrific job directing this neat gem, as well as offering a neat performance of his own as the seedy agent lurking in the background.
Fowler was recently featured with martial artist and actress Zara Phythian in a shortfilm pitch for an ambitious new webseries by independent filmmaker Brandon Kahn titled The Streets Of Myth, for which production is currently on hold with more developments to come. In the meantime, subscribe to the official Facebook page for Ki Films, and check out Bound in the embed below. And of course, remember to check out Howard‘s newest performance as Ken in Machinima’s live action webseries, Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist, making its way to a feature-length cut on DVD, digital download, VoD and Blu-Ray this Fall.
The superhero genre has generated massive fanfare with the largely popular, commercial successes of Marvel and DC movies for decades now, especially with both entites gaining ground in their respective properties. But the one thing that does stand out for some people in a specific niche is the lack of prominent African lead actors and actresses in such films. Sure, we can highlight films like Spawn and, the Blade trilogy, and even several notable TV, film and online efforts over the last twenty years, although there still would not be a matching numerical comparison.
As such, the trend of developing lead African superhero characters in one form or another has seen a small spike in growth, in part, as previously reported on this site and several others. And this week, adding to that list is the latest crowdfunded shortfilm production for Oya: Rise Of The Orisha, which looks to blend genuine African culture and mythos with spectacular superheroine fanfare in the form of lead actress Ethosheia Hylton. Directed by VFX wizard Nosa Ignebideon, the project serves as a precursor to a hopeful feature film, and with today’s dazzling new trailer, superhero film fans alike are now given a new reason to expand their entertainment scope.
Watch the trailer and stay tuned for more info.
SYNOPSIS:
According to the Yoruba religion of Nigeria [West Africa] Orishas are a collective of charismatic deities with specialised supernatural gifts, powers and responsibilities. They are comparable to the gods of the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Roman civilisation. Tradition has it that these supernatural beings once walked the earth with humanity. The reverence and worship that was shown to them by the ordinary Yoruba people elevated their status and increased their power
》For centuries the doorway between the world of the Orishas and our world has remained closed, until now. Our hero, Ade, is one of the few people with a connection to one of the gods, Oya. She has been tasked with the job of protecting the innocent and that means keeping the door to the gods shut. If the doorway to the gods is opened, they will wreak chaos upon us as retribution for our abandonment of them. To keep the door shut, she must find ‘the key’, a young girl with the potential to open the doorway, and keep her safe.
The adventure unfolds with a host of memorable characters and a string of unexpected twists, Ade, goes in search of the key, battling against those who wish to open portal and unleashing a horde of forgotten gods and goddesses into the world, with powers and skills beyond our comprehensive and supernatural gifts which will change the course of history for mankind, forever.
H/T: Shadow And Act / Indiewire
Following the unveiling of an action packed shortfilm promo last November with new concept art earlier this year (seen above), the new Kickstarter has officially begun to fund independent filmmaker Brandon Kahn‘s ambitious online martial arts webseries, Streets Of Myth. Featuring a prominent cast of talented actors and performers led by UK martial arts stalwart, actress Zara Phythian, the set up takes place in England, where society shaped itself into warring factions co-existing in social toxicity where any and all matters are settled in a hail of hand-to-hand combat and martial arts weaponry.
Kahn is looking toward raising £30,000 to fund the production costs prior to the hopeful pre-production and filming of the first episode titled “The King’s Arms” this summer for a September airing, off-setting a ten-to-twelve episode season with each episode lasting thirty minutes. That’s right! Not six or ten or fifteen, but whole half-hour episodes replete with dramatic storytelling with high impact martial arts choreography by series co-star Beau Fowler.
If you missed the earlier shortfilm promo, Enter The Streets Of Myth used to pitch the project late last year, you can watch it by clicking HERE. Otherwise, THE OFFICIAL KICKSTARTER PAGE for Streets Of Myth is up and running with more details on the first episode, the campaign itself, and information on what you can donate and the perks offered for your generosity.
Action adventure as a recruit undertakes the toughest military training known to man – SAS selection.
Actor Lee Bennett is ready to make 2014 his banner this year with the forthcoming production of his action horror directorial debut, 301 Troop: Arawn Rising. The project marks the first film for Bennett’s new production banner, Only The New Breed, since its launch a year ago led by Bennett, a three year veteran actor and action performer with a proven intense love for film and a passion to reinvigorate the current state of the U.K. action cinema with a fresh vision that harkens back to the glory days of hardcore action cinema for today’s audiences.
301 Troop: Arawn Rising introduces an original tale of two longtime friends – soldiers rejected after failing their commando selection examination, who find themselves in their biggest fight for survival the U.K. Northern wilderness against a clan of possessed Druids performing blood sacrifices in the name of an ancient Celtic underworld god. The film, which is set to go into production this year following further negotiations with distributors, will feature Bennett, actor Alan Calton and actress Cat LaCohie, with Jon Campling, actor and British martial arts cinematic heavy hitter Silvio Simac, and actor Wayne Gordon rounding out the cast.
In December of 2013, Bennett and his crew were finally able to take their project to its next phase, having initally filmed a trailer following a crowdfunding campaign two months earlier. And while the work being an artist and a film producer and director comes weighted with its well over its own fair share of tasks, Bennett‘s own faith in his brand remains unflinching. “Filming the trailer was such a mental week, but it was also the best time of my life.”, he says. “I’m happiest when I’m under pressure, against the clock, bruised and battered and hitting that shit day after day. I’m bringing action back strong, and I’m doing it where it hasn’t been done before, here in the U.K.”.
The footage itself will not be viewed publicly for just a little while longer as Bennett and his company are still handling the business of things. Fortunately however, Film Combat Syndicate earned an exclusive look at the well-over two-minute trailer for 301 Troop: Arawn Rising, and while there wasn’t much to see for just a trailer, it clearly introduces what Bennett is seeking to illustrate in his vision from both sides of the camera, promising authentic drama and physical, hard-hitting performances from himself and the actors themselves without wires or CGI. “I’m following in the foot steps of Sly Stallone. Writing, directing and acting in my own shot. No other British action film maker has ever done that,” he says. “We neither do, nor have we done proper action in the U.K. and I’m going to change that with old-school style action, but up-to-date with the next generation of authentic action actors.”.
With Only The New Breed making headway with 301 Troop: Arawn Rising this year, Bennett and his crew have a clear goal in mind, and fans will learn more about what that entails when the trailer finally arrives. For now though, their official website is up and running, with links to their Twitter and Facebook pages, and plenty of info to learn more about what Only The New Breed has in store. Also, feel free to follow Lee Bennett on Twitter for more exclusive content.
Stay tuned for more info!
The folks over at UK-based Richwater films issued a press release several days ago ahead of the upcoming UK home release of the new revenge action thriller, Vendetta, starring Danny Dyer. The press release mainly focuses on anti-piracy and the networked stealing of films, a common and growing problem over many years which highly affected many areas of film industry, especially studios who produce smaller budgeted pictures.