Stranded (Short Film) – Review

Hello everyone Kevin of Film Fervor here again to bring you another short Independent film review. Today we will be discussing the 2016 short film Stranded. Stranded is a post apocalyptic film written and directed by Ty Leisher and starring Brian Majestic, Ed Morrone, Danielle Passantino and August Thompson.

Stranded takes place in a desolate desert in the not too distant future where the assassination of the President brought about an apocalyptic cataclysm. Callie (Danielle Passantino) at her camp site hears the approach of a Motorcycle and goes to her obvious broken down car to flag down help. Jim (Ed Morrone) stops to help the young woman and as he works on her car their stories are told building up to a refreshing and surprising ending.

Unlike many of the other short films I have reviewed here on Film Fervor, Stranded sets the bar extremely high in terms of not only acting but also in production quality. The film itself is beautifully filmed in high definition that is reminiscent of a large budgeted Hollywood blockbuster and it is a absolute pleasure to watch.

Adding to this is the terrific sound quality of the equipment used by Bam!produced. Many times in independent films the audio quality suffers through poor integrated microphones on the cameras or badly placed lavaliere microphones but Stranded pulls out all of the stops and brings a very satisfying experience not only with the production quality but also the music that builds the tension nicely during the two main filmed scenes.

The scenes themselves are filmed entirely outdoors in the western part of the Mojave desert in Rosamond, California. It offers the bleak look of a wasteland that is perfect for a post apocalyptic future Stranded is set in.

In a film that runs for a little over ten minutes it might seem hard to pack in a detailed and well thought out story but writers Ty Leisher and Bryan Stubbles manage to tell a story that is not only complete but also highly entertaining and leaving you wanting to see more of the universe they are set in. This is helped by the very high quality of the actors of the piece who not only show the desperation of their character’s situation but also come across as believable and people you can relate to in this hard world.

When all is said and done Stranded is by far one of the best short films I have had the privilege of reviewing because of it’s high production value and the care that went into thought behind the film. Being just over ten minutes it is worth anyone’s time who supports short Independent films and appreciate a well thought out story with well above average acting and a surprise twist that will leave you grinning.