Prodigy
Prodigy plays with some big ideas and heady themes, but doesn’t fully develop all of them as it struggles to truly connect with audiences.
mark the feature - duration debut of director Nathan Leon ( who previously helm shorts such asD.O.A.andLimbo ) , new dramaProdigyis hop to make a minor spattering as it hits VOD . Nominated for four outside Christian Film and Music Festival awards ( including Best Picture ) , it certainly has a more intriguing blood than the distinctive square - to - video firing , giving indie fans trust for a rewarding antagonistic - programming selection to check out this holiday time of year . There ’s no denying Leon has an ambitious vision , but he is n’t alone successful in the execution of instrument . Prodigyplays with some freehanded idea and heady musical theme , but does n’t fully train all of them as it struggles to truly connect with consultation .
Prodigyis set in the not - too - aloof future , where teenage boy Caleb Black ( Embry Johnson ) is an individual with the ability to on the face of it receive messages from a high power , allowing him to accurately predict potentially apocalyptical effect . After the first two of Caleb ’s prognostications come true , tension begin to mount in expectancy for the third . Various political party , including the regime , have a groovy involvement in Caleb , hop to make sense of it all and figure out a architectural plan .
Caleb refuses to give information about his third content to any official , say he ’ll only speak to his estranged Father-God , Erick ( Cory Kays ) . When the two are reunify , Caleb expresses his desire to break innocent of the facility where he ’s being obtain and trek to a mystic location , where he ’ll find another content that could alter human history . Erick reluctantly agrees to help , embarking on a serious journeying that could change the very fabric of his personal beliefs .
Leon also penned theProdigyscript , and his plan of attack to the composition is a shade blemished . He essentially thrusts spectator justly into the thick of the narrative , not always taking the necessary time to properly set up case dynamics and relationship . Things start to become clearer as the movie build up , but the former going can be a fiddling tricky to follow as Leon hurry through establish a universe where the supernatural is potential . It ’s squeamish to see the filmmaker demonstrate a trustingness in his audience to pick up on what ’s happening , but the first act by all odds could have gain from having a minuscule more room to breathe before Leon dived head - first into the road trip / pursual aspect that propels a bulk of the plot of land .
As for the craft : Leon maintains a firm hand on the material , moving the moving picture along at a decent pace to see viewers never lose interest inProdigy’sgenre elements . The situations the characters witness themselves in do n’t exactly reinvent the wheel , but there ’s still enough at interest in the core tale ( from both a personal and secular perspective ) for multitude to give care about what pass off . Having said that , Leon is n’t as smooth handling the thematic angles ofProdigy , tug his characters with ( at time ) lowering - handed dialogue about topics like fate vs. free will and the cosmos of providential being controlling our destinies . Again , this is jolly complex content thing for a first - time lineament director to undertake , but it ’s sure as shooting a little rough around the border as Leon examine to reach viewer with his message . Some audience fellow member may be turned off a bit by its perceived preachiness .
Erik and Caleb are mean to be the emotional foundation ofProdigy , and things are n’t entirely convincing on that front . While Kays and Johnson have some solid scenes together , the father - son bond Leon is hop to flourish does n’t completely shine through for the whole movie . The chemistry between the two principal does n’t always light up the projection screen , but the shortcomings might be more of a byproduct of the writing than the individual carrying into action . Both Kays and Johnson do a good job with the cloth they have to exploit with ; the former doing a riff on a distinctive unkept soul haunt by retiring calamity and the latter accurately portray a " talented " child burdened with an overpowering responsibleness . The type definitely jibe into old archetypes , but for the purposes of the pic , they knead .
The supporting cast fares a petty worse , in the main becauseProdigyis debase with secondary histrion . The film is hamper by one too many storey threads ( there are multiple parties pursuing Erik and Caleb on their journey ) , and a twosome of these finally reach uneventful decision that exemplify how superfluous they are . streamline the core story would have helped affair and provide certain characters to make more of an encroachment . As it resist , the standouts here include Brian Tyrrell as the politics ’s Dr. Faron ( an confessedly clichéd corporate suit villain ) and Hailey Henry as Maya , a waitress who offers to assist Erik and Caleb . The playscript give the actress some bewitching level to explore , though the character ’s arc feel a slight unearned . Other actor like Tyler Roy Roberts as Jericho and King Amir Allahyar as Gabriel are relegated to being generic mercenaries on the Holman Hunt for the submarine sandwich .
In the ending , Prodigydeserves points for swinging for the fences in its effort to give audience a to the full rewarding experience , but it does n’t quite shoot the score across the dining table . The ideas and themes acquaint have been explore with a small more goodwill and nuance in film prior , though interested viewers should still be able to have interesting word about its depicted object topic after watching it . For a first - time feature article music director , Leon clearly has some endowment that he ’ll hopefully be able-bodied to polish as his career moves forward . course , Prodigywill be down on many ’s must - see listing this December , but it might be worth ensure out for its butt demographic .
Trailer
Prodigyis now available on VOD . It run 110 minutes and is not rat .
Prodigy is a psychological thriller directed by Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal . The picture show asterisk Richard Neil as a psychologist task with pass judgment a highly intelligent and grievous child prodigy , played by Savannah Liles . As he delves deeper into her sinful mind , he discovers the child holds dark secrets that challenge his intellect of reality and human potential difference .
Prodigy is a psychological thriller directed by Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal. The film stars Richard Neil as a psychologist tasked with evaluating a highly intelligent and dangerous child prodigy, played by Savannah Liles. As he delves deeper into her extraordinary mind, he discovers the child holds dark secrets that challenge his understanding of reality and human potential.
