Title: The Red Machine

Directed by: Stephanie Argy and Alec Boehm

Starring: Lee Perkins (Carnies), Donal Thoms-Cappello, Meg Brogan, Mo Byrnes and Eddie Lee

Scores: Technical: 95, Story: 98, Acting: 100, Overall: 99

I watch a lot of independent films… I mean a lot. So when I started watching The Red Machine, I thought I was in for another mediocre story with sub-par acting and a whole lot of disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of indy films are really good, then there are the ones that could be good with the right budget, and we can’t forget the terrible ones. Obviously some are great… I give you The Red Machine.

The Red Machine is based in 1935 and is about the story of a thief who gets caught and is offered a chance of freedom by a Naval spy. The only catch? He must break into a Japanese diplomat’s room and figure out the code to the “new and improved” secret code. The thief (played perfectly by Donel Thoms-Cappello) is a great comic relief (Frankenstein?) and is an excellent ying to the yang of the spy (the brilliant Lee Perkins). The duo complement each other perfectly and it makes the movie incredibly entertaining. The supporting cast is just as good and deserve praise also.

The story and script are extremely well written and I think the cinematography is some of the best I have ever seen in an independent film. The movie moves along at a great pace, fast enough to not be bogged down and slow enough to really understand what is happening. The only complaint I have, and trust me, it is the only one, is the score. The music could have made such an impact. Whatever reason they had for leaving the score as bare as they did, I wish it would have had a little more. It is a very minor thing and I hope it doesn’t make anyone not see it.

Watch the movie. It is a original drama comedy political thriller with a great cast and an excellent story.

By Dave Minyard