Julien Neaves, Caribbean Head Writer
I have written in the past about Caribbean folklore and how it is a treasure trove for filmmakers. And for this site I have reviewed several short films inspired by folklore characters. With the short film Mermaid from Barbados, we have another folklore creature though the titular half-woman, half-fish is not one restricted to regional shores but can be found in cultures worldwide. And director Vonley W. Smith does a commendable job putting his own spin on the well-known creature.
The 2017 film follows the Last Fisherman (Yannick Hooper) on a dystopian island who seeks to find a beautiful mermaid (Deiandra Frederick) he once encountered. Hooper does well with the poetic language for the voice over and delivers believable looks of longing and frustration. Frederick's captivating natural beauty works well for the Mermaid though she could have been stronger on the emoting with her eyes, face and body. And the mermaid costume could have looked more naturalistic and less something worn on Carnival Tuesday or at Mardis Gras.
Aye gyal. Dat fishy bumpa lookin' good
On the positive side, I did enjoy the deeper theme of the collapse of the fishing industry on the island and the accompanying cinematography. The music is well done and the odd visuals and editing do accentuate the feeling of disorientation. There is a sequence, however, where the audio abruptly cuts out which I did not find effective but simply distracting.
What I enjoyed most about the film is that I did now know where it was going. Is it a fantasy romance, tragic dark fantasy or even a horror? Mermaid could have gone in any of these directions, and as a seasoned viewer and reviewer that is always a refreshing experience. And while the ending appears straightforward, it is also up for interpretation.
With almost 400,000 views, the film has attracted many views and deservedly so. As with its titular creature, there is an enchanting quality here that truly draws the viewer in.
Editor Jules' Score: 7 out of 10
You can watch Mermaid for yourself on YouTube by clicking here. And you can check out more Caribbean short film content below:
ST LUCIAN SHORT 'SOUCOUYANT' QUICK BITE REVIEW
GREEN SCREEN WINNER 1% IS 100% INNOVATIVE
SUPERNATURAL SHORT 'LA DIABLESSE' QUICK BITE REVIEW (GRENADA/AUSTRALIA)
Julien "Editor Jules" Neaves is a TARDIS-flying, Force-using Trekkie whose bedroom stories were by Freddy Krueger, learned to be a superhero from Marvel, but dreams of being Batman. I love promoting Caribbean film (Cariwood), creating board games and I am an award-winning author. I say things like "13 flavours of awesome sauce". Read more.
No comments:
Post a Comment