Welcome to the near future where disaster has befallen the Earth and tribes of people have become commonplace. Every so often; a leader is elected from eligible tribespeople. Their mission is to enter the forest and complete trials; and the victor becomes leader. Only one will come out alive.
This is the starting premise for director Tom Paton's low budget sci-fi dystopian movie Pandorica. Featuring a small but talented cast, the movie focuses on the three chosen to take the place of current leader Nus (Luke D'Silva). Taking up potential leadership duties include Eiren (Jade Hobday), Ares (Marc Zammit) and the impressively bearded Thade (Adam Bond). Nus suggests they are all unworthy; but the challenges have yet to come. As they delve deeper into the forest it is clear that there's more than just the quartet who are in the forest - and not all things in there are friendly. If you mix The Hunger Games with the Blair Witch Project and add a smattering of Predator you have Pandorica.
Sterling work by the actors including an over the top, genuinely unnerving Bentley Kalu as fearsome warrior Nine, Pandorica is probably the best low budget, British movie I have seen since the excellent Dog Soldiers way back when. Special mention also goes to both the cinematography and the soundtrack which are both fantastic. For all that it was a fairly small production, the film could rival any of those big budget movies we see all the time. Focussing more on character and story than special effects, Pandorica is a sci-fi thriller that is simple but effective.
There are plans for a sequel too; so it will be interesting to see where this rich world of characters will take us next. Overall a really well made enjoyable film.
Pandorica comes out at all good cinemas on 1st April 2016 but simultaneously on Blu-Ray, DVD and download at the same time.
I saw the world premier at Sci-Fi Weekender 7 in Wales.
POPSCORE: 8/10
What am I talking about? Pandorica movie
Where can I find out more? http://www.pandoricamovie.com/
If you liked this try: The Hunger Games (for trials in woodland), Dog Soldiers (for British sci fi done well), Blair Witch Project (for low budget), Predator
Anything else?
Apparently the budget for this movie was £77,000
Pandorica is lead actress Jade Fennix-Hobady's first movie role
Director Tom Paton not only wrote and directed but edited the movie too
There was a prequel comic produced that covered more about Nus and the trials
There will be a sequel called Assault on Pandorica
Tom Paton suggested that this is the first movie of a trilogy
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