Survival Skills

Some directors prefer the form more than the substance and in this case the first film of director and screenwriter Quinn Armstrong pleases and disappoints at the same time. In a film industry that swears by digital technology and to give a beautiful and profound image to all films, Quinn Armstrong seems nostalgic for the period of videotapes and old training videos explaining how to do her job well. In this case, as much as the format of Survival kills intrigues and goes against the tide, it is sorely lacking in a script that is sufficiently elaborate and constructed to bring the film to life.

At the base of this film is a short film also written and directed by Quinn Armstrong in which we follow Jim, a police cadet who gets into trouble when he is called for a domestic violence dispute on his first day. The film is an extension of this successful short film and so we follow as a mix between a training video and a documentary from the 80's the integration of a young police recruit (the same character Jim) and see him face many difficulties. In the role of the cantankerous narrator we find the actor Stacy Keach who seems to take real pleasure in creating a character as surprising as he is close to an almighty God who can interfere in the story as he pleases.

The beginning of this film reminds us of the excellent series Disptaches from Elsewhere but very 80's oriented not only by highlighting the stereotypes of this past period but also the way of life. Unfortunately, the film would have benefited from a better script and perhaps even more from a situation comedy. In this case, the result is certainly entertaining but lacks the vision of an author who masters his subject perfectly.

Survival skills
Written and directed by Quinn Armstrong
Produced by Mike Downing, Colin West
Starring Tyra Colar, Spencer Garrett, Stacy Keach, Ericka Kreutz, Vayu O'Donnell
Music by Mark Hadley
Cinematography : Allie Schultz
Edited by Keara Burton
Release date : March 6 2020 (USA)
Running time : 84mns
Vu le 23 août 2020

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