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PRESSURE
Review by Clint Morris, Moviehole.net - One of Australia's top movie sites
Stars Kerr Smith, Lochlyn Munro, Angela Featherstone, Michelle Harrison, Adrien Dorval, Donnelly Rhodes, David Neale, John B.Destry
Even if the brewskie is yelling your name from inside, don't enter desolate small-town bars - just one of the many messages Director Richard Gale is trying to convey through Indy thriller "Pressure".
A crossbreed permutation of polished road thriller and Richard Kimble intrigues, "Pressure" tells the tale of two med students, Steve (Kerr Smith) and Patrick (Lochlyn Munro), who discard the aforementioned advice, and on the way back to the land of the living, decide to stop off at an uninhabited bar.
Realising that a cheerleading convention is in full swing, it looks like the boy's night at the bar will be a memorable one - until Amber (Angela Featherstone) decides to chat up the ostensibly 'unavailable' Steve. Tempted into a possible one-night fling with the mystery woman, Steve follows her outside. But just as soon as he falls back on his offer to play around with her, the woman's unforseen associate hits him from behind. Seems she and Bo Cooper (Adrien Dorval) have set-up their latest prey.
When Bo inadvertently shoots himself in his 'manhood', Steve panics, especially when he hears the man identified on his radio as a 'Cop'. Knowing exactly what will happen to him if he is found in the obdurate situation, Steve darts back to the bar - grabs Patrick and they hit the road in a never-ending chase.
Within hours, the state's police squad - lead by the corrupt, relentless Sheriff Cooper, also the shot man's father- and the FBI have imprinted the hunt one of the biggest of the times. With routes blocked right, left and centre, Steve must harden up and outmanoeuvre his indomitable antagonist, ultimately getting himself out of the mess.
"Pressure" is a solid thriller, with some great performances, slick camera-work, tense music score and exceptional use of locale. Gale delivers a movie that doesn't let up for a minute, barely missing a beat over its 90 minutes. Kerr Smith proves he is more than one of Dawson's Creek's teeny cronies, turning in a forceful, notable performance as the innocent on the run. Lochlyn Munro (Scary Movie) adds weighty support as his friend and fellow target, Patrick.
Where "Pressure" scores its points chiefly is in the production. This slick, impressive-looking thriller was shot in just 19 days. And for a film shot in that time, with little to no budget or fanfare, this is an enthralling crackerjack thriller proving good things come in small packages. Top of Page |
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Hyperion Film.com
'Pressure' makes the pressure real, and makes it fun, funny, and exciting. One hardly has time to catch their breath, due to the pacing of the story's twists, and the constantly growing tension-- the action is finely staged, and the ensemble cast gives it's best. *****Five Stars. Hyperion Film.com - Germany
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PRESSURE
Students-on-the-road-getting-in-trouble seems to be one of the themes of the year. At first sight, this movie does not look very differently from the other action or horror flicks I saw recently. However, it has a quality and coherence that is not usual for movies in its class. Without any known name in the cast, with a low budget and according to some of the critics in only 19 days, director Richard Gale succeeded to make a very decent movie. His hand is sure, his cut is professional, and the movie might have been low-cost for the producers, but never looks cheap. I also think that something deeper about the American gun culture is trespassing the screen. I expect nice surprises from this director in the future.
--Herzlya Review, Israel
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PRESSURE - Thrilling Non-Stop Action
Writer/Director Richard Gale has made a tight film that keeps you at the edge of your seat. With the look of a much higher budget film, this indie film was surprisingly produced on a smaller budget. This is a film worth watching to see the makings of a good chase film. You have never seen the lead actor, Kerr Smith (Dawson's Creek) act so strongly. Well-written and well-directed, 'Pressure' is an example of an unassuming character, an everyman, pushed to the brink when one bad event after another befalls him. Buy this DVD to get a fair amount of special features commentary by Richard Gale, interviews of the cast, and the making of Pressure. If you are a film student and would want to observe how to make a good film on a tight budget, this is the dvd to get.
--Best Word Forward
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