Directed by: Brian McWha Written by: Neil Chase / Brian McWha Genre: Drama Connect:
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Tsunami Falls
A man wakes up to the ringing of his alarm, just another morning living on the water. Ignoring the few dozen missed calls on his phone, the man tunes in to the television... and everything changes in an instant. A short while ago there was an earthquake, and within the next few minutes a massive tsunami will hit land, and since he's right on the water, the man realizes one thing. It's the end for him. There's nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. How would you react? What would you do?
There are numerous ways a film can approach the certain death scenario, but Tsunami Falls decides to go the more emotional route, rather than an action-y one. Neil Chase and Brian McWha, who penned this title, have decided to give us the equivalent of seeing what many people report when coming back from the brink of death. An accounting of their lives before the white light takes them. Only in this title, that accounting is before and not during or after. Us viewers are treated to various pieces of the man's life, good and bad, with the oncoming real time tsunami as the wraparound. It's all very effective using the oncoming disaster segments long enough for us to see how the man is feeling while remembering. The term roller coaster would be the best way to describe this short film, and it simply works. Tsunami Falls is a sad story indeed, but it's also filled with hope... especially during the segments featuring the man's son. Another area of excellence not lost on me was the use of the background score, to be more precise, what should have been the background score is front and center in this title. Brian McWha directs a tight 10 minutes, but it's the music that brings it all together and saves Tsunami Falls from being just another well done montage sequence. It's orchestral, and it's powerful, allowing the audience to not only see the important portions of this mans life, but feel them as well. Using the music to pace this short was just what the doctor ordered, tying all the individual elements into one cohesive, and surprisingly touching story. This is 10 minutes well spent. Tsunami Falls probably won't change your life, but it's still a title worthy of your precious time. It looks good, it sounds good, and the premise, although not completely new, is still a good one. What else is there really to write except to keep an eye out for this title. You won't be sorry. Four stars. |
