Studio: Phaedra Cinema
Director: Kevin Lewis
Screenwriter: Troy Scott & Kevin Lewis
Starring: Matt Schulze, Jonathan Banks, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R for violence, sexuality, and language

The Story: John Hunter (Matt) is a reluctant assassin tortured by self-doubt, self-hate, and guilt, and driven by an obsessive need to avenge his parents’ deaths. He tries to reach out to people who could keep him grounded, but he refuses to change his path even for them. He infiltrates the Guild, a society of assassins led by Herod (Banks). John executes his first few assignments without any trouble other than endangering his own sanity. But then he meets Gillian (Fitzpatrick), Herod’s “sister.” First John is assigned to protect Gillian. Then he’s assigned to kill her. He can’t bring himself to do it, so they end up on the run together. Each of the three main characters has a secret, all of which are revealed in the last act.

UMSFC Review: This film has potential, but it barely misses being a good movie. The story is told elliptically and therefore is hard to follow on the first viewing. The director tries so hard to keep John’s secret a surprise that it’s not well set-up and doesn’t follow logically. Matt is the most convincing actor in the cast; a particularly wrenching scene is one in which John tries to pull the trigger on himself. The movie has deeply Catholic undertones and a couple of plot holes big enough to trip up even the most undemanding viewer. Even so, it is worth watching; John has an appeal that is difficult to articulate.