Rodrigo
Duterte, the karaoke crooner, might not approve of the Flying Ipis’s punk rock “My
Way” (although he should, because it is pretty awesome), but a lot of what goes
on in this sleazy after-hours joint he would be perfectly fine with—allegedly.
A Filipino-American journalist hopes to get the scope on vigilante killings
from the horse’s mouth, but she might end up part of her own story in Dean Colin
Marcial’s short film, Manila Death Squad (trailer here), which screens as part of the Anarchy shorts block at
this year’s Slamdance Film Festival in Park City.
The
last person the death squad wants to talk to is a journalist, but she invites
herself to join their party anyway. She knows who they are and she wants an
exclusive from them. Their hardnosed leader tries to use drinking games to
dissuade her, but she can think on her feet and hold her liquor. Ultimately,
she wants an interview with their boss—and wouldn’t you like to know who that
is. Maybe we will find out if MDS gets
expanded into a feature.
There
seems to be able room in this ripped-from-the-headlines world for a full
feature treatment, but you have to wonder if Marcial can keep up the dizzyingly
nervy breakneck energy for such an extended period. Even the subtitles in MDS are hip and stylishly noir, but the
threat of violence is palpable and ever-present.
Somehow,
Marcial also recruited a cast worthy of mainstream studio features, reuniting
Annicka Dolonius and Sid Lucero from The Apocalypse Child, as the reporter and the death squad leader. Dolonius is
totally on the money, playing the journalist tough, smart, and vulnerable.
However, Lucero’s sinister fierceness is a bit of a pleasantly frightening surprise.
They are both terrific playing off each other, plus the Flying Ipis totally
rock the house.