Short film review 2 - Run

Run is a short film about an emotionally detached gang member named Marcus who is put in a difficult situation where he must put his trust in a young, rival gang member named Dean in order to survive. The film is directed by Trevor Stevens, a young actor/director/writer in what is his fifth and most recent short to date. It is reasonably long for a short at 17 minutes but it really develops the story and once it really gets going, it really gets going as it captures the relationship and trust that is formed between the two characters.

I feel that the characters themselves are very undeveloped and that the secondary characters are very one toned, there doesn't seem to be much change in character in any of the characters. However the short as a piece is very compelling with long takes, interesting locations and all round brilliant cinematography, it really grabs the viewer and keeps their eyes glued to the screen. It's not the smartest film in terms of development but it is a very watchable and enjoyable film none the less.

I especially like the ending, where Marcus eventually shoots Dean after Marcus' gang arrives with his son. The shot is done inside the car where you can see Marcus and his gang about to shoot Dean on the outside through the window and Marcus' sons reflection in the rear view mirror. It portrays the loss in trust the son has when Marcus shoots Dean despite the fact that it's clear he never wanted to shoot him.

I found the film very relatable to mine as it featured a drug dealer (Marcus) trying to escape the tense situation he's been placed in and the young drug dealer (Dean) who clearly feels out of place in his gang and wants to escape the gang life entirely. All this is featured in what is approximately 11 minutes of just 1 continuos shot (maybe edited in areas to give that effect) of them crossing paths with one another, escaping the gang war and eventually Marcus shooting Dean. The camera shots used were very clever and it is something I would love to be able to implement in future films.

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2015/10/07/run-3/