Reviews

Reveille holds space for realism on a level so grounding it becomes chilling to watch. A tug of war and spin on the moral compass, the film is cold, merciless, and unyielding, highlighting the consequences of actions and the horrors of war. The structure of the film itself is unconventional, much like Michael Camino's "The Deer Hunter".

Reveille is a character study. The acting is a dissection of coping mechanisms.

This review is dedicated to the actors.

There are moments between the American soldiers that hold spirit and life. Becker and Powers have an argument and there are moments where the actors' behaviors bleed through into the scene. Jared Becker as "Sarge" paints panic and terror in a young leader; but he also shows maturity. Jake Powers as "Rowe," hides a deep current of sorrow to hold his tough warrior posture and southern upbringing. Powers has a lot of heavy moments he keeps tight and in his chest. Strong actor. Maxwell David Marcus shows us pain with his eyes as he wipes blood from his hands. We see his daughter in his thoughts and his animosity towards his position on a fireteam. "Fife", played by David Morales, shows an innocence and the edge of a real soldier as he enters the cave with blood dripping from his ears. Martin "Leo" Kelley, played by Joe Bongiovanni, is reminiscent of an unpredictable cat on screen. Never knowing what he's about to say or do next, he's spontaneous and raw and completely grounded; reminiscent of a young Al Pacino in the days of Schatzberg and "Panic in Needle Park."

The German standouts were Bart Voitila and Kevin Sinic. Bart had a focus and demeanor that allowed his country and his spirit to breathe from his posture as the Polish prisoner: Bolek. He had a powerful performance, very well cast. Kevin Sinic let his memories of his characters' past campaign guide his behaviors to dictate a strong willed leadership. He holds together a band of wounded soldiers and allows the camera to breathe with him as he moves through his moments.

This film was put together with passion and heart. Well worth watching.

(POSSIBLE SPOILER)

Most short films these days are, unfortunately, unconditionally affected by their poor production qualities. They are immediately surpassed in regards to their amateur, "student film look" and without any consideration, they are forgotten without much analysis of their true underlying values. Emverse goes beyond the simple structure of a student film and shows us the inner demons that are represented both metaphorically and literally in a troubled, multidimensional protagonist. From start to finish the plot is simultaneous, much like a fourth dimensional cube, timelines and physical realities are melded together allowing a frightening and disorienting experience not easily understood by an everyday movie goer. One must open every doorway, much like the great poet William Blake described: "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern." The unknown is the most disturbing aspect of the human imagination. A glimpse into the other side, or an awakening providing a peek into another form a reality; much can be extremely thought provoking and profoundly inspirational for the psychological entrepreneur. This short being very subjective, deserves a few watches for its various interpretations.

A great experiment into a world of chaos, the faults in this short coincide with similar issues in short experimental films. Allowing an in depth idea to wire its own course sometimes encounters unintended plot holes, overlapping the main point and blurring the line between where the direction of the story is going and where the events that support the story are to unfold. The ending comes off a bit detached without a much needed resolve, most likely a time or budget restraint in production, but nonetheless, not having a clear cut Hollywood finish, this short may inspire the doorway to a new genre, a fresher feature length down the road; something that may or may not tie into the mainstream populace and still entertain the true horrors of the mind of an aspiring up and coming writer/directer.