CASTAWAY

review written 6/29/2003

I was expecting to see Wilson the Volleyball in this, to be frank.

I liked the opening. Short and to the point. The compositing was pretty good, although it looked like the main character was in a convertible, which is not an option in space. The TIE Fighter pilot looked a little cartoonish. But damned if the explosions weren't pretty.

The forest is a lush green and the starship wreck is perfectly integrated. I love the aerial shot of our hero walking through.

The Sith Infiltrator looks good (though the Web compression may be helping). The beautiful, rich explosions, unfortunately, look a little out of place.

Then we get a hand-held camera chase. You don't see that a lot in SW fan films, and I have to say, I was impressed.

I haven't said a thing about the story yet. Truth is, there isn't much of one. It's just a guy's misadventures on Endor. And just as I'm realizing this, Castaway starts running out of steam, about halfway through the film. The Jedi says "Oh, my God," which is a bit Earth-based for me. He falls down a hill, which looks ridiculous, and the lightsaber duel seems strange for reasons I can't put my finger on. It seems more comical than dramatic.

I like the music choice at the end, though. And the "the end" hanging in the trees.

There are some interesting choices made in this fan film. It wasn't great by any means, but the creators show promise.