Prodigy
Prodigy offers a compelling, if low-budget psychological thriller that’s elevated by the lead performances and a twist on a classic sci-fi premise.
Directors Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal have worked together on a bit of inadequate films and they reteamed for their first feature - length directorial effort , the scientific discipline fiction thrillerProdigy . Haughey and Vidal take and executive produced the plastic film from a hand they co - wrote . For their first full - duration film , the pair put together an intimate lineament drama countersink within a sci - fi universe and steeped in psychological thrills , all while analyzing the consequences of heartbreak and guilt trip on a human psyche . Prodigyoffers a compelling , if gloomy - budget psychological thriller that ’s elevated by the leading performance and a crook on a classic sci - fi premise .
Prodigyfollows Dr. James Fonda ( Richard Neil ) , a psychologist who specialise in helping children , who is shout in to aid with a limited , but closemouthed vitrine by his former university schoolmate Olivia ( Jolene Anderson ) . Fonda is taken to a military compound where he ’s escort to a command room by Colonel Birch ( Emilio Palame ) . Birch explain the blanket list of regulation for Fonda while he ’s interviewing the subject , then the psychologist is infix to the other members of Olivia ’s team : principal technician Ryan ( Aral Gribble ) , head-shrinker Dr. Keaton ( David Linski ) , and biochemistry expert Dr. Werner ( Harvey Johnson ) . Only after does Fonda encounter the patient role he ’s at the compound to evaluate : the nine - year - old girlfriend Eleanor ( Savannah Liles ) . The girl possesses a genius - level intellect , and she ’s restrict in a straight jacket and tied to a electric chair .
Throughout the course of their word , Eleanor - who order Fonda to call her Ellie - analyze and dissects Fonda ’s life through observations of his appearance and mannerisms , all while he seek to gain her trust and learn about her . The valuation takes a turn when Ellie admits she ruthlessly killed her own female parent , make Fonda to exit the interview room and need Olivia , Birch and the rest of the squad about Ellie ’s account . They confirm what Ellie said and tell Fonda she possesses " gift " that they would like to examine on a molecular level . To do so , Ellie will be euthanized unless Fonda can demonstrate there ’s a trace of humans leave in the young girl . With a ticking clock , Fonda take up his discussion with Ellie and tries to get to the center of the youthful girl with genius - grade intellectual and special abilities , so that he may save her life - though it remains to be see if Ellie willlethim save her .
The story ofProdigyis rather round-eyed , but that allows for the script - especially the long exchanges between Ellie and Fonda - to really get to the heart of each character . Although Ellie quickly prove that she believe herself to be far superior to all other human , Fonda slowly shows that he can hold his own against the young girl . Their negotiation is well - spell and return with the kind of back and onward that allow for a tennis match experience , with the tv camera careen back and onward between the two as they trade analyses and , in the case of Ellie , barbs against Fonda ’s appearance and life . With each view , Prodigyexpertly peels back the layers of its two main characters as the film dives deeper not only into the psychology that constitute Ellie who she is , but into the past issue that shaped Fonda as well . It ’s the variety of quiet grapheme dissection rarely see in big - budget sci - fi movies , butProdigydraws on the figure of sci - fi and superhero level as well .
Prodigyfalls into the incredibly corner , but recently popular writing style of sci - fi chronicle about youthful girl with abilities . LikeStranger affair ' Eleven andLogan’sLaura , Prodigyfeatures a young girl who has spent many of her shaping age trapped in a facility , experimented on and examined by teams of adult who require to unlock the secret of what humanity is equal to of achieving . However , whereStranger ThingsandLoganrelegated their young distaff leads to staying mostly silent , Prodigy’sEllie is nimble to speak and even quicker with a smart - mouthed reception to Fonda . It ’s this dialogue , though , that especially setsProdigyapart since it allows for the immature female lead to voice what ’s going on in her straits , instead of behave as a form of non - verbal sounding board for the fictional character around her ( who are typically manly and often older ) . In the compositor’s case of Ellie , what she says may not be the truth , but the fact that she speaks yield her much more agency , and it at long last elevates the narrative and drama ofProdigy .
Of course , the character of Ellie would n’t be as strong without the performance of Liles , who is a force of nature as the titular prodigy . Liles absolutely nails the favourable position that serves as Ellie ’s protective cuticle against the humanity , but also showcases vulnerability at the proper consequence . Altogether Ellie descend across as such a well - rounded character due to Liles ' capabilities , and the young wiz proves herself able to hold her own in the elbow room with co - star Neil as Fonda . Like Liles , Neil demonstrates a depth in Fonda that ’s necessary to produce such a rich eccentric drama inProdigy . Further , the span bounce off each other exceedingly well , make and dispelling tension in a scene as needed to keep the thriller move at a brisk pace . Beyond Liles and Neil , the support casting is serviceable , relegate to the sidelines and developing as stock characters for the sake of giving Ellie and Fonda the bulk of the CRT screen meter . Still , since it give the two at the nitty-gritty ofProdigymore room to develop their lineament , it ’s perceivable that the hold up histrion are n’t as well - developed .
WhenProdigystruggles more or less is in the third act , with some of the more special upshot - heavy scenes . Because the film ’s budget is lower than a distinctive superhero / sci - fi movie , the way Ellie ’s abilities are brought to life sentence can be awkward at metre . This is n’t always the case , and a especial setting in which Ellie practice her powers to act as cheat with Fonda is a more subtle use of her super - human skills in a way that effectively hints at what she ’s capable of , if she crowd herself even more . Still , even when the personal effects inProdigydon’t measure up to other movies in the musical style , they ’re used more for story and graphic symbol intent than action at law spectacle . As such , it ’s easier to look beyond the weaknesses and focalise in on the strengths ofProdigy’sstory and characters .
finally , Prodigyis an intimate scrutiny of the guilt and sorrow of its two chief characters as they bound off each other in a pscyhologically tinged discussion about life and demise . While there are chemical element of natural process and a open sci - fi premiss , this movie is , at its essence , a dramatic thriller that will keep viewing audience captivated for its full runtime . Those look for more spectacle in their sci - fi films may be let down , butProdigycan be easy enjoyed by viewers who appreciate the quiet drama of its characters . Between the compelling story and execution inProdigy , it ’s an fantastically solid and entertaining psychological thriller arrange within a reality influenced by skill fable .
Trailer
Prodigyis now useable on home release and will commence cyclosis on Netflix Wednesday , August 22 . It persist 80 minutes and is rated television receiver - MA .
Prodigy is a psychological thriller engineer by Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal . The film star Richard Neil as a psychologist tasked with pass judgment a extremely healthy and dangerous youngster omen , played by Savannah Liles . As he delve profoundly into her extraordinary mind , he fall upon the child holds moody secret that challenge his understanding of reality and human potentiality .
Richard Neil and Savannah Liles in Prodigy
Aral Gribble, Harvey Johnson, Jolene Anderson, Emilio Palame and David Linski in Prodigy
Savannah Liles in Prodigy
