The Last Sunrise: An Executioner's Story

This one will have you laughing and jumping in your seats as the family that slays together takes you on a shadowed tour of darkness that just keeps getting darker every new doorway toured through. Brilliant pioneering cinematography captures the essence of the director's nocturnal vision, wit and whimsy and their very own unique take on what's at bloody stake here in the vampire movie genre. You're invited on in to partake of family comradery, teamwork making the executioner dream work, and a few dark red pints of bloody good action and horror added to the main course in this savory sanguinary selection that'll leave you drooling crimson for more.

The cinematography as we come in with a drone shot, I like the way this is presented, especially intertwined with the music, it makes for a great intro into the film. Then we are taken into the first scene where the storyline and plot is introduced, as well as the three main characters, Gina, Kitten and Simon, who are sitting in a car, discussing their mission. There is no backstory to let the viewer know what is going on in the world, but we get glimpses, and I believe this is done so well, there is no need for an elaborate backstory. You will notice that something isn't right, this is not how a normal family would act. But this is no normal family, as you will soon discover.

The mention of the Guild will surely let the viewer know that something terrible has happened in the world and the mention of the Guild is left for the viewer to interpret. They talk about the protocol of clearing the city, at this early stage we don't know what they are fighting up against. I like the inference to chasing and killing monsters. A little foreshadowing is happening, which is always a great way to keep the viewer watching. I have to say, I was gripped from the very beginning.

There is a decision to be made, do they stay in the Guild, or break away and live in peace in the city? This is an interesting dilemma to bring into the story. However, they have one more task to complete first. We get a scene intercepting the present scene, of what happened to another family who tried to break away. The twist will surely please the viewer. Here we get a glimpse at the monsters, who are called Vamps but look like Zombies. This is an unusual approach to the Vampire and Zombie troupe. Usually we see Vampires acting a certain way, and Zombies have their own way of conducting themselves, so I have to admit, I was a little confused when I initially saw the monsters. The family dynamics lead me to think this family has no affection towards each other, it's like they are merely going through the motions, and there is no room for love, when you are fighting to survive. So in saying this, it makes sense by the end of the film.

There are some great action sequences, with the Washington family and then the epic battle at the end. The family are left with no other choice than to finish their task before dawn, adding an extra dilemma to the plot as their rush to finish the job adds pacing. When we finally see the nest of Vamps, the film ramps up an extra notch. The fight scene is done very well, however, I thought the Vamps were killed too easily, but then again they are at a vulnerable position, since they are hungry and tired. When Gina is captured by a member of the Guild, all hell breaks loose. They are told that no one ever leaves the Guild, then we cut into a scene of what happened to the Washinton family, and that will be this family's fate if they leave the Guild. That seems to be their main objective. Do they get away from the Guild? How do they handle the situation? These are some of the questions the viewer is hoping will be resolved.

A good amount of information is revealed in conversations the characters have between each other, adding more suspense and tension to add layering and texture to the storyline and the plot. I think through dialogue is an excellent way to reveal information. A fair amount of gore, but not overdone, it doesn't need to be excessive gore, the film carries on quite well without it.

Towards the final scene something terrible happens, and the Last Sunrise protocol is initiated, but on whom are they implementing it on? The tension has ramped up, and although we don't want anything bad to happen to the characters, I don't think the audience has had enough time to become invested in the characters really, although this is a short film, I would have liked to have gotten more of an emotional journey to bring the characters to life, as they feel very automated. The major twist that happens at the end is brilliant. You need to watch until the credits roll to see what happens, with the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. I like the emotion they show at the end towards one another. We find out they have a new and more dangerous task ahead of them. Overall, good acting, sound and visual effects too. Well done!

Reviewed by Del Gibson.