Death Round Every Bend (2019)

Over the past few years, while organizing, judging and submitting to film festivals, as well as being sent a huge amount of shorts from filmmakers looking for guidance and feedback, I got to see some amazing shorts. I also got to see my fair share of shorts that are not quite at a decent enough level of quality. As I try not to do negative reviews of indie films, I decided it might be easier to just avoid reviewing shorts altogether and stick with features. Well… I recently decided to make a change and start reviewing shorts as well. This review will be the first.

Death Round Every Bend tells the story of New Zealand’s infamous Maungatapu Murders, which took place in 1866 by the notorious New Zealand Burgess-Kelly Gang. Right off the bat, it is fairly noticeable that with this kind of story and look/production value, this should be a feature. The cinematography by Daniel Allen is quite breathtaking, with fantastic drone shots added to complement his fantastic composition and rich texture.

I could not find a budget listed for the film online, so I am not sure how much was spent, but whether it was a small or high budget for a short, it looks high. The production value, from set design to costumes to makeup, all set the scene to look very authentic for the time period it portrays, which is not an easy thing to pull off. Full credit to Art Director Shane Sutherland and Costume Supervisor Kenneth Holdaway, for pulling this off.
Adding to the authenticity and atmosphere, the film was shot on the track where the real murders took place, in the hills behind Nelson. All these factors give the film the necessary Western genre feel it requires, which rarely is achieved to this degree in indie films.  
 
Director Aaron Falvey does a great job in this one. Direction is steady and it seems he got the most out of his actors to nail down the visual authenticity already in place and take it further with some great performances from the core cast. Falvey seems to be showing improvement from one film to the next, which makes me very curious as to his upcoming feature debut, Northspur, which recently wrapped up shooting and is now in post-production.

Speaking of the performances, the core cast, as mentioned, do a great job, yet with very limited on-camera text. Most of the lines are delivered by voiceover, which is pet peeve of mine, as I would rather learn about characters and the story via well-written, preferably subtexted, dialogue and powerful performances and not “be told” about it by a certain character of choice. Still, Cameron West, Nick Kemplen, Peter Coates and Daniel Allan do a fantastic job as the ruthless Burgess-Kelly Gang. West and Kemplen were particularly interesting in my opinion, as they show great charisma and presence without the need for any text. They both have great cinematic looks and know how to put them to great use. The supporting cast, consisting of Steve Barr, Kenneth Holdaway, James Mitchell, Paul Baker and Phil McArdle, among others, all equated themselves rather well to keep the film looking and sounding authentic.
And speaking of sound, the music score by Michael Vignola is absolutely fantastic. It sets a melancholy-filled, tense mood throughout the film that builds up beautifully all the way to the film’s ending. Vignola is undoubtedly a great talent with a bright future ahead. Even while writing the review, I had the film score playing in the background to help set the mood. Absolutely engaging and at times, breathtaking work which definitely elevates the film a level or two.

The script by Justin Eade holds well. Unfortunately, as dominant voiceovers are not a favourite technique to my taste, it caused me to connect a little less with the film and feel less for the characters, which at times gave the effect or feeling of watching a historical re-enactment rather than a story which unfolds before me. Again, this is just a taste issue as the script holds and the film is definitely an achievement.

I think that this short also piques the curiousity as to this particular story and leaves the viewer wanting more. I would love to see a fleshed out version in feature length format of this very story. This would help in getting to know the characters better and therefore, having more of an interest in their welfare (or otherwise) and following the story with great involvement and tense engagement. I’m not sure if Falvey and Eade are working on a feature version, but they definitely should. I’m sure many would love to see more of this story in greater detail.  

Overall, I felt this short is a definite achievement. A very professional production indeed. High production value and quality in all departments have made this one of the better shorts I have seen recently and I will be watching with great interest as to the completion of Northspur and further upcoming productions from Falvey and his team.

Impressive and engaging. 8/10.