Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: DVD Brand: The Stunt People Format: NTSC Label: The Stunt People Manufacturer: The Stunt People Publisher: The Stunt People Region Code: 0 Running Time: 100 Studio: The Stunt People
Editorial Reviews:
This film, made by premiere independent action group "The Stunt People", has put the focus squarely on the action. Like a live-action anime, it features comedy, quirky characters, and unbelievable martial arts action.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Awesome! Comment: This movie was awesome. You definitely get bang for you buck. It reminded me a lot of Jackie Chan style fight scenes with its intricate moves both with the camera and people. I'm not a big martial arts fan but this movie was definitely enjoyable. It may be low budget, but has heart! Customer Rating: Summary: The greatest american made martial arts film you have never heard of! Comment: Does you like soup????? Does you like fight?????
Over the past few years, a category of filmmaking has come about referred to often as 'zero budget filmmaking.' I don't know if there are rules to how much (or little) you can spend and still make this category. I have seen them called 'zero budget' up to about $15k. Drama films have been easy to come by in this category, as they don't have to cost too much to make. And with the introduction of the great movie, Primer (done for $7k), sci fi film had its voice. But no one had tried the action film at a high level.....
Enter the Stunt People. A group of stunt persons and fight choreographers located in California that make short films in their spare time and post them online. Contour represents their first broad release full length movie attempt. And what an attempt it is!!!!
The acting is bad, but has its own charm. The director wrote in part for the actors based on things they do/say in real life. And it comes off funny. There are good laughs, both intentional, and not so intentional. I personally like fighters who can't act, but don't try to hard either. Nothing ruins a film more than to have the lead role who is a great action star look into the camera and say 'we have to save the president!' and not have a clue how he is supposed to act. It ruins it for me.
But the fights..... wow the fights.... largely Hapkido, with some Wushu and Escrima mixed in, the fights are amazing. They are literally beating the crap out of each other. I think they said their philosophy was 'hit at 50%, react to the hit at 200%.' There is a lot of chop shot, but with excellent editing, and three respectable long shots during the film. It's really hard to pick a favorite fight amongst them. It has probably the best fight scene with two guys in suits I have ever seen.
The plot is fairly conventional, and serves to really just connect the fights. Then there's the ending..... well, it's an ending.... the director said he was paying homage to Pink Panther movie endings, and I guess on that level, it works.
In short, for the price offered, you can't go wrong. It's an incredible representation of what can be done for little to no money. It puts the blockbusters of the same genre to shame. Buy it soon too, because word is they are securing new distribution, and it will likely cost more then. If you like this kind of stuff, check out stuntpeople.com for their shorts, and Kwoon as well. Although, of all I have seen so far, Contour is the pinnacle.
