The
Dark Horse (2014/Broadgreen DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C- Film: B+
After
being moved around from mental institutes for years, Genesis 'Gen'
(Cliff Curtis) was dumped on his gangster brother who then just
dumped him in the streets. Gen then joins and helps out a shelter
for orphans and street kids to train them for the National Junior
Chess Championship in New Zealand, but when his nephew Mana wants to
learn to play, Gen must face his brother fight against his father's
wishes in James Napier Robertson's The Dark Horse (2014).
Gen
is a mentally handicap person, however, the only thing he is good
with is chess. He attempts to teach the poor Maori children that
they can do anything if they try. The world has treated Gen and the
children as hopeless cases and minorities that will never amount to
anything. This hits home for Gen even more when he has to fight his
own brother for his nephew, Gen's brother, believes playing chess is
a waste of time and it is better for his son Mana to be beaten and
abused (as his initiation into the gang) to teach him how tough is
the world.
Based
on a true story, while it is true people love stories and cheer for
the underdog, sadly, they exist in poor societies where minorities
are treated with no hope if change. This is reinforced by cultural
pride in which causes people to continue the abusive treatment of
minorities. This New Zealand production also stars James Rolleston,
Kirk Torrance, Miranda McDowell, Barry Ti Hara, Xavier Horan and
additionally great actors we do not see enough of.
The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image was shot with Sony HD Cine
Alta cameras giving this a cold look, but it fine, despite some
motion blur. The lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 sound mix is a bit
dialogue-based, so its only so active, though should sound better
lossless. Hope we get a Blu-ray version. Extras include trailers.
-
Ricky Chiang
