Professional Courtesy

Professional Courtesy is an independent film - and I'm guessing on this, but probably also a labor of love for the crew who put it together.

Professional Courtesy begins in a forest - that is laden with thieves. It is a setting, that pays homage to the fantasy settings of Tolkien, Gygax and Ray Harryhausen. Two thieves in particular, meet up in this film and begin a tale of wits - that end in a few surprising twists.

While the budget for this film cannot produce the special effect wizardry we may be used to for films in this genre - the crew make up for it by pouring their money into the quality of the story and the overall production values of the lighting, sound and direction.

Instead of hundreds of cartoon dragons swimming along in CGI fury (Dungeons and Dragons) - or instead of a stop-action Cyclops wrestling a Dragon (Sinbad), we get instead a focus on greed and intrigue. A story that surprised me as to its conclusion - and one that captivates your interest quite quickly as it unfolds.

It's solid work, the actors take the tools of the film and shape it well - subduing their expression just enough - to let the story take center stage. The camera work also has a sense of the story's overall flow and appeal and refuses to distract you - rather it just lets the tale spin itself into its creative ending.

If you are a fan of epic fantasy - and would like to see instead - how a short story in this genre translates to film, then this is well worth checking out.

One last thought, I'm not sure why I think this - but to me - there is a small element of the 'Maltese Falcon' in this story - indeed if you can imagine the suspense and banter of the Maltese Falcon, blended with an fantasy/medieval forest of thieves - you are starting to get an idea of this film's charm.