This short film is, if I may borrow a quote from Skunk Anansie's Skin, "f**king political". When I read the sonnet ahead of watching the film, I already knew that the location was the UN and I wondered how that would be used. The sonnet itself is an interesting one because for the first half it almost seems to be saying that if someone thinks you have done something bad, then you may as well have done it since you'll get the benefit and not just the perception. It is an odd sentiment and the amount of lines on and around this does engage. The second half is more conclusive though and it is this sentiment that the short film takes as its lead.
Set outside the UN building at night, the film sees a soldier considering his lot. It is a clever device and one that works really well in the context of the sonnet because it is very relevant and topical but also works with the words. The soldier is thought of as bad even though he is just following orders and going to places and fighting wars that people in the UN Building behind him are ultimately responsible for – even though it is easier (and of course encouraged by the same leaders) to point fingers at the actions of the soldiers on the ground. This context works very well because we believe the soldier as he bemoans perception before concluding that he must be just even if others are crooked – it is a realistic and relevant presentation and I enjoyed it a great deal.
Unfortunately what I didn't enjoy quite as much was the performance from Tucker. I guess he does it the way his director wants, but I found his sinister and hunched presentation, with rapid side glances and menacing voice to be overly dramatic and not at all in line with the way they were using the sonnet – it seemed like he should be much more angry in the first half, but meditative and determined in the second, whereas he plays one note the while way. I think this is what they wanted though, because the film also uses music to create a mood of corrupt power and bad deeds – indeed I guess only copyright laws prevented them using the Imperial March from Star Wars over shots of the UN at the start!
It still works for me and works well. I think the performance was directed to be a bit darker and more sinister than the context warranted, but the interpretation is really clever, topical and relevant to the words. A very enjoyable short film.
Set outside the UN building at night, the film sees a soldier considering his lot. It is a clever device and one that works really well in the context of the sonnet because it is very relevant and topical but also works with the words. The soldier is thought of as bad even though he is just following orders and going to places and fighting wars that people in the UN Building behind him are ultimately responsible for – even though it is easier (and of course encouraged by the same leaders) to point fingers at the actions of the soldiers on the ground. This context works very well because we believe the soldier as he bemoans perception before concluding that he must be just even if others are crooked – it is a realistic and relevant presentation and I enjoyed it a great deal.
Unfortunately what I didn't enjoy quite as much was the performance from Tucker. I guess he does it the way his director wants, but I found his sinister and hunched presentation, with rapid side glances and menacing voice to be overly dramatic and not at all in line with the way they were using the sonnet – it seemed like he should be much more angry in the first half, but meditative and determined in the second, whereas he plays one note the while way. I think this is what they wanted though, because the film also uses music to create a mood of corrupt power and bad deeds – indeed I guess only copyright laws prevented them using the Imperial March from Star Wars over shots of the UN at the start!
It still works for me and works well. I think the performance was directed to be a bit darker and more sinister than the context warranted, but the interpretation is really clever, topical and relevant to the words. A very enjoyable short film.