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Released by: Scorpio Film Releasing
Released on: July 21st, 2015
Director: Richard Griffin
Cast: Nathaniel Sylva, Aaron Andrade, Elyssa Baldassarri
Year: 2014
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The Movie
Future Justice is a rompy, low budgeted sci-fi actioner which makes the most of its limited funds by delivering some serious bang for its buck.
It's made clear right from the get-go that the cast and crew involved here with Future Justice have their creative hearts in the right place, as this briskly paced and lean post-apocalypse tale takes some well-worn tropes-a group of nuclear holocaust survivors are put at odds with radioactive monsters and each other as they struggle to survive-and runs with them for all their worth. It's a little bit Aliens, a little bit Walking Dead and a whole lot of fun.
Indeed, there's a real sense of care and dedication when it comes to the creation of this film from the bottom on the top, starting with a tight 'n light script from star Nathaniel Sylva, who plays a notorious space outlaw by the name of Python Diamond (it gets better, don't worry). Diamond is being held prisoner by a group of tightly knit military types for transport, until they realize that the Earth they knew is now only a nuked-out husk after a worldwide holocaust. Sylva's dialog is witty and sharp for almost all his characters, and this is boosted by the almost universal bar of solid acting set by the principal cast.
Sylvia stands out in particular as the cocky-yet-capable Diamond, while co-star Aaron Andrade is similarly engaging as his commanding officer nemesis, Uxbridge. but it's an impressive feat-given that Future Justice has such a large ensemble cast-that everyone here has their moments to shine. The visual effects are mostly on the digital side of things, but they're thankfully not distracting, while there are some cool make up effects in the film's latter third. The colorful and moody lighting is another boost to the picture, and it's obvious that the film's DP J. Poisson has a keen eye for composition.
The musical score from Daniel Hildreth is best served when it enters into John Carpenter synth mode as opposed to its Star Wars pretensions, as the latter comes across as a bit too chintzy when compared to the suspense achieved by the simplistic and methodical background cues. Future Justice never drags, and never outstays its welcome at a brief 83 minutes, making this a recommended watch for low budget film fans of filmmakers seeking an example of the medium at its stronger end.
Video/Audio/Extras
This region free DVD of Future Justice arrives from Scorpio Film Releasing and MVD Visual, in 16x9 widescreen with a bright and colorful picture palette. The print is bright and without any blips or errors. I'm guessing the film was shot on video, but it never gives off that air of cheapness so often found with this sort of flick. The audio is of similarly strong quality, with no noticeable drops or errors.
There's a full length commentary track with what is almost all the primary cast and crew which instantly gives off the vibe of being close-knit, friendly group of cats. They go into their inspiration for the film, including 1990: Bronx Warriors, as well as John Carpenter's Dark Star and Assault on Precinct 13. Additional extras include the film's original trailer, as well as a short film "Mutants of the Apocalypse," to build up the sale-ability of this DVD.
The Final Cut
Director Richard Griffin is no stranger to low budget filmmaking-having helmed indie features Nun of That and the disappointing Disco Exorcist-yet Future Justice stands out as a fine example of how to properly execute this sort of picture for an audience who appreciates all the time and hard work which goes into moviemaking labors of love.
