Movie : Last warning shot
Director : Alicia Buckner
He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
Last warning shot is a story about red flags. More significantly it is a story about the never ending tussle between head and heart, the exuberant defiance of youth, the various pitfalls of conscious and unconscious shortcomings and the darker domains of violence concealed within apparently innocuous smiles of human beings.
Every occurence in the movie gyrates around the character of Maddy, an enthusiastic, pretty teenager who has recently gotten herself into college. Like most of the teenagers, curiosity dominates most of her thoughts. After receiving a proposal for a dinner date from a handsome man, Maddy decides to give it a shot influenced by some potent persuasion from her friend.
The man appears as spoilt, representing uncontrolled opulence. However Maddy pays little attention to such trivial details and decides to go where her heart wants to take her.
The fun ride takes a completely different turn post her discovery of being pregnant. The viewers are introduced to the dire pangs of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. It is soon discovered how terribly Maddy was influenced and later manipulated by ravenous beasts who hovered around social media in search of their preys.
Maddy decides to keep the child despite everything and she is a different person post these events, perhaps a more wise person notwithstanding the abyss she came past.
The screenplay is well written supported by impeccable performances specially by Shadia Martin who played the role of Maddy.
The movie reminded one of certain scenes from Big Little Lies by the late Jean Marc Vallee.
Last warning shot is a tale about mistakes committed by mortals who are led by the sterile yet immense roar of sound and fury. Little do they know that they seldom signify anything as William Shakespeare would put it. (www.genusinnovation.com)
