Lost Phoenix

Fun movie. Too summarize, without spoilers, it is in the realm of "Bourne Identity", but with a little bit of "Total Recall" thrown in for good measure - the main character wakes up with memory loss. Who is he, where did he come from, how did he get here? And where does he go now? And it hits the ground running.

Great cinematography, good pacing, some solid performances. A few issues, but for a micro-budget, there is a lot packed into it. Also, it's not the standard action film - thoughtful, dark, but with a somewhat positive outlook.

Definitely worth watching, if you have any interest in indie films.

This is an ambitious action flick that delivers a potent combination of martial arts, gunplay, and swordplay with some good character development along the way. Actors Eliza Kelley (Layla) and Wan Dral (Isaac) shine as adversaries pitted against each other. Nice to see a subtle respect develop between them. I appreciate that the filmmakers kept the action happening at regular intervals. Nice production values - cinematography and sound. It's great to see an action movie set on the East Coast (Richmond, VA) for a change. Eliza Kelley delivers a standout performance that leaves the male actors scrambling for cover.

An amnesiac awakens from a coma only to find that people want him dead for stealing a lot of money which he has no clue about, so basically throughout the movie he's being hunted down by a mysterious hit man squad and another mysterious sniper woman. All done around the Covid 19 plandemic and many are wearing masks. Lots of "OK" fight scenes and gunplay, but the bad guys always pause too long when they are about to kill "the good guy" so he gets the advantage, not realistic in the slightest, but still rather entertaining to watch. No questionable content or nudity, some foul language and fight violence, but no gore. OK watch while doing other things. Enjoy.

Lost Phoenix has the look and feel of a low budget B movie, and that's not a criticism. There are a lot of people who like those kinds of movies, including me. I applaud the creators for going all in and making this film. It takes a lot of guts and is more than many people even attempt. That being said, there were some continuity issues that were pretty noticeable, such as the warehouse/garage fight scene, and why the mask kept going on and coming off, without a specific reason for doing so. At least one time, he was wearing the mask in one shot, and then in the next shot it was just gone, and there wasn't time for him to have removed it and put it away. There was A LOT of dialogue. But, overall it was a pretty good flick. I see it as a stepping stone with things to learn from for their next film.

Very interesting concept, and original in many ways - even when compared to films covering similar territory.

Cinematography is first rate. Scene compositions, fight sequences, pacing, sound effects, editing - considering its indie status and budgetary restraints, all very strong. Impressive. A great team of filmmakers came together on this. That is very clear.

Director James Couche most certainly has his own style. Great cinematic choices. Transitions. He has a touch, and I will most definitely be keeping an eye out for him.

The writing, overall, is good, but there were a couple of holes in the logic, and a few scenes seemed a touch overwritten - but that's just me.

As for performance standouts: Wan Dral (assuming acting debut) did a great job. His character had a lot going on, and he gave every facet his full attention. David Norton is as slick and sinister as they come. Eliza Kelley, being tasked with an emotionally and physically complex, multidimensional role, knocks it out of the park.

I hope these filmmakers come together again and again because they have something going here that really works.