Project London

I love "schlock" films... bad movies with the guts to make fun of themselves and society in general. So I had no problem with sitting through this film and actually enjoyed most of it. I enjoyed the bad acting (sometimes intentionally bad, sometimes just plain bad), the often-goofy script and the sometimes-cheesy special effects. I also enjoyed the (at times) excellent special effects, humorous moments (of which Jerry formed a large part), and inept characters.

Project London is an intermix of interesting foundation and often too-slow plot lines. This could have used some better directing and judicious editing-- cutting out numerous minor and unnecessary scenes. The giant robot battles were fun, if somewhat convoluted and too busy to tell what was going on. The characters were interesting if cliché (except Jerry. Pretty original on that one).

I would have been tempted to give this 7 stars based on sheer effort, humor and schlock factor (avoiding spoilers here)-- if it weren't for the sudden, anti-climactic and useless ending. It has all the feeling as if they suddenly ran out of both script and funds... like eating an enjoyable full-course meal and then finding out desert is vanilla wafers. I hate that in a film.

We have witnessed the onslaught of "short" films which seem to focus on tech and effects while throwing plot and resolution to the wind. If a film has a great beginning and a great ending viewers can forgive a multitude of sins in between. Unfortunately, this film puts all its substance into everything but the last 60 seconds, then fizzles like a firecracker that fails to pop.

Other than that this is a fun watch. It's okay for a rainy Saturday, but I recommend the filmmakers going back and adding an ending that is a bit more satisfying.

Okay, now first confession, I am a big fan of low budget movies. Many of them manage to produce something amazing and so when I heard about Project London I had to check it out.

Basically the plot is that humans have made contact with an alien race and they have helped humans unleash their potential. Which is basically the ability to project our will on things. Eg, if we will the TV to change channels it will, or if we want to fly a mech or kill someone, we can will it. But if the potential can take on a will of its own beyond the person who had the original idea.

First with the positives. It looks pretty good in some ways. The designs for the monsters, mechs etc. I mean nothing spectacular, but more original than most stuff coming out of Hollywood today.

The negatives is everything else. The actors are fairly dull, the plot convoluted but pointless, the incidental props and costumes are stupid, the jokes lame etc etc.

What it comes down to is maybe attempting too much. Worth checking out though if you are a fan of low budget cinema.

Project London is a tour de force of actors who overcompensate their complete lack of understanding of their characters by overacting, underacting, or simply looking away from the camera and counting down the seconds until the scene will finish. For most of them, it seems that the only thing worse than acting in Project London is watching Project London. John Fantasia, for example, is a particularly saddening actor whose youtube channel plays testament to his failure to even achieve the role of a corporate animal mascot. Other highlights of his youtube channel include remarkably insensitive portrayals of South Americans interspersed with impersonations and mimicries of more successful actors, all of which are performed in the cold isolation of his garage. Indeed it seems, looking at his filmography, that John Fantasia holds the rare prestige of having acted in more films than he's actually seen.

Whilst John Fantasia was turned down to play the 'AT&T Squirrel' (presumably on the basis that he was unable to empathize with, or even simulate, the most rudimentary of character portrayals, instead bumbling around a largely vacant room, squawking incessantly in a shrill register about the price of trees), he managed to land himself the role of the lead villain within Project London. To give him credit, he is working with a script which must now be cheaper than blank paper.

But as the old adage goes, in the kingdom of the blind the one eyed man is king, and up against the rest of the brainless cast, whose acting talent could be exceeded by ballistic torsos, John Fantasia's performance is Oscar worthy.

Don't give up Papa J! Fans of the room will find a lot to enjoy here.