Max Isaacson's Paradise is a neo-western revenge flick that should be admired. I found myself hanging on every word as this story unraveled, drawing myself closer to each character's story, struggles, and personalities. I find it a rarity for a film like this to be so effective in its prose, and so captivating in its execution. The world that is crafted by Isaacson is one built on brutality, vigilantism, corruption, and dark humor, with an environmental style shaped by neon, semi-tropical glow.
Action-packed graphic novels are what immediately come to mind as I watch this. The stylized surroundings of our characters add a personality of its own. With engaging performances by the cast, especially lead Patricia Allison, this is a story about betrayal, bitterness, distrust, and violence. I felt that the foundation for Allison's character was strong, and takes a spin on the vigilante character in a unique and interesting way. Albeit short, the duration of this film is well spent, and wasting no time in building a structurally fortified story.
I almost wish that the character of Lee Paige (played by Tia Carrere) was underutilized. From my perspective, there was much more potential for her character to play a larger role in the film, instead of being merely a malevolent ghost on the wind. Don't ask me how - that's merely my instinct. Her design and personality are interesting right from the get-go, and I was almost disappointed that her presence in the film was so little.
I struggle to find anything that I dislike about how this film was crafted: it's a very strong body of fiction. For those who enjoy flashy, violent revenge movies, this is your ticket to Paradise.
