This is the first time I have watched 'Double Down'. What a long strange trip I've just been on.
Firstly, Breen himself, who looks a bit like a Vulcan Neil Diamond, clearly has a genuine passion for film-making, and apparently finances everything, as well as doing (according to the credits) pretty much all the dog-work, right down to the catering. To date, he has made 4 feature-length films and I salute that. This isn't some one-off project with no follow-up; Neil's in it for the long run.
Secondly, having watched this movie and seen trailers and reviews for his other work, Neil Breen makes 'message' movies, and while his message can be a bit garbled at times, he seems very committed and earnest. It seems like an honest attempt to convey his vision so, again, admirable.
Some criticise the over-lengthy voice-overs, but I watched 'The Star Wars Holiday Special' which is about 70% Wookie honking without subtitles, and I'd have been grateful for a Neil Breen voice-over explaining things, believe me!
The execution of this vision, however, is muddled at best and technically inept on many levels. The acting is wooden, too, especially our hero, who delivers his lines as if he's being shown them on cue cards in a different language and he's having to translate them one by one.
The plot is standard Breen; he's some form of mentally, morally and physically superior being who has come to combat the ills of the world like greed, corruption etc. In this case, he's a super-secret agent, but in other films, he's an alien or a cyborg, but the general idea is the same.
The movie has a strange dream-like feel to it, which is actually enhanced by the technical cock-ups, as you find yourself unsure what is happening and why, and when. Breen's stilted delivery of critical lines just adds to the confusion.
Now the big question for all Breenies (you know who you are) - does Neil get nekkid? The answer is yes, albeit briefly. But you do get to see his plums, whether you want to or not.
In short, Breen makes strange, badly-executed films that really do stand apart for both good reasons and bad. You don't forget seeing them. Definitely try at least one before dismissing this strange strange man's canon.
Firstly, Breen himself, who looks a bit like a Vulcan Neil Diamond, clearly has a genuine passion for film-making, and apparently finances everything, as well as doing (according to the credits) pretty much all the dog-work, right down to the catering. To date, he has made 4 feature-length films and I salute that. This isn't some one-off project with no follow-up; Neil's in it for the long run.
Secondly, having watched this movie and seen trailers and reviews for his other work, Neil Breen makes 'message' movies, and while his message can be a bit garbled at times, he seems very committed and earnest. It seems like an honest attempt to convey his vision so, again, admirable.
Some criticise the over-lengthy voice-overs, but I watched 'The Star Wars Holiday Special' which is about 70% Wookie honking without subtitles, and I'd have been grateful for a Neil Breen voice-over explaining things, believe me!
The execution of this vision, however, is muddled at best and technically inept on many levels. The acting is wooden, too, especially our hero, who delivers his lines as if he's being shown them on cue cards in a different language and he's having to translate them one by one.
The plot is standard Breen; he's some form of mentally, morally and physically superior being who has come to combat the ills of the world like greed, corruption etc. In this case, he's a super-secret agent, but in other films, he's an alien or a cyborg, but the general idea is the same.
The movie has a strange dream-like feel to it, which is actually enhanced by the technical cock-ups, as you find yourself unsure what is happening and why, and when. Breen's stilted delivery of critical lines just adds to the confusion.
Now the big question for all Breenies (you know who you are) - does Neil get nekkid? The answer is yes, albeit briefly. But you do get to see his plums, whether you want to or not.
In short, Breen makes strange, badly-executed films that really do stand apart for both good reasons and bad. You don't forget seeing them. Definitely try at least one before dismissing this strange strange man's canon.
