Mikes Film Talk

The 2016 Action/Thriller Standoff should be taking the talking down a notch or two. It is too verbal by far and this almost ruins the film. A top notch cast like this needs less dialogue and more action. Both Fishburne and Jane are capable of it.

Standoff is written by first time director Adam Alleca.  The film focuses upon this intimate cast after a murderous open. It entertains despite the verbose nature of the film and the claustrophobic nature of the setting.

The Standoff Story

Bird (Ballentine) is at a cemetery to visit her dead parent’s grave. She takes her camera, although her “uncle” Roger does not want her to. A funeral service is taking place and Roger tells the girl not to photograph the proceedings.

She does though. Bird captures hitman Sade (Fishburne) killing the small number of mourners and the preacher presiding over the burial. The murderer spies her and gives chase. Bird’s uncle is also murdered and the girl runs to the house that belongs to Carter Green (Jane).

Carter is depressed and about to kill himself when the girl arrives at his doorstep. The Army veteran  is shot in the leg by Sade and he, in turn, shoots the killer in the stomach. He then holds off the killer with his 20 gauge shotgun.

The Main Standoff Cast

Laurence Fishburne is Sade.

Thomas Jane is Carter.

Ella Ballentine is Bird.

Standoff Works

This is a violent film.  Sade tortures a character horrifically and is all too eager to kill whoever  is in front of him.  There are long bits of verbal exchanges with small bursts of action. Said action is mostly rather intense and at times very bloody.

It is the psychological warfare between the two men that drags on that bit too long. The film feels like  a Japanese ’60s film where the protagonists have reams of dialogue between truncated scenes of action.

Fishburne chews great bloody bits of scenery with his cold-blooded and eager to kill contract hitman.  Jane’s performance is one of controlled intensity. Both men work well off the other.  Laurence making his character bigger than life works well opposite Jane’s more down to earth terse performance.

Ballentine is spot on as the girl whose parents died in a crash. There is never any point where the young  actor does not sell  her character fully. The young performer impresses with her interpretation of a young damsel in distress.

Talking too Much

Alleca takes his story seriously and presents it accordingly. One never doubts that one, or more, of these characters will die a painful death. However what starts as a tense experience soon falters into an overly verbal bit of interaction between the two alpha males in the picture.

The cinematography by Zoran Popovic (War Inc, Shiver) is brilliantly dark and yet stark at all the right moments. The scenes in the house are dramatically shot and the lighting is spot on. Susan Maggi edits the film deftly and on point.

The feel of Standoff is similar to westerns where the protagonists are surrounded by an enemy. A villain who demands the release of only one individual.  In this instance Jane’s character is the cavalry commander who refuses to acquiesce to Fishburne’s brutal killer.

Despite the overly verbal nature of the film, it grips the viewer throughout. We care about Carter Green and the little girl he is attempting to save.  The damaged veteran who holds out against the professional hitman is not necessarily likable. We understand though his underling misery and admire his resolve.

Beyond any shadow of doubt, Laurence Fishburne gives great “bad guy.”  His villainy is complete, even before the hammer.

At 80 minutes the film does not drag on too long. At no point, though; despite the verbal sparring, does the film drag.  There is also a splendid, yet small, twist at the end which is pleasing and full of irony.

Standoff Verdict

Standoff is a sold 4 star film.  The cast alone makes this film worth watching. Alleca has done very well his first time in the chair and his effort reveals a man to watch.  The film is streaming on Pluto, Tubi, Plex, ea al at the moment. Stop by and check this ‘R’ rated film out, you will be glad you did.

The Trailer