A review of Evasive Maneuvers
by Drew Lindo

It took me some time to get around to writing this review. As you’ll note by the credits, I wrote/produced, and acted in the film. This makes it tough for me to critique it objectively, but you know what? Criticism is an opinion based format, and my opinion applies even more due to the fact that I helped make the motherfucker. First things first: The Dastoli’s take a huge leap forward with this flick in the areas of cinematography, special effects, and presentation. This film looks great, sounds great, and accomplishes what most short films cannot: it thoroughly entertains you with bang for every buck. It also boasts one of the most impressive scores I have ever heard in a short/amateur flick. Evasive Maneuvers is a summer blockbuster (released in the fall, oops!) in the truest sense of the word. It is big, loud, shiny fun, with some great little set pieces. It is a fantasy flick, the kind where we all want to dress up like action heroes and shoot guns, whether we look twelve or not. Let’s get to the problems: As with many Dastoli flicks, this film takes a step backwards with some awkward performances, and a lack of story. Clean and simple. P. Sanchez’ performance varies between believable and natural, to artificial and stilted. As the female lead, she is hit and miss. The character was designed to be a quirky, funny, and endearing heroine, but does not come across that way. Who’s fault this is lies in the eye of the beholder. This film is simply one big giant action sequence, an opening scene to a Bond film with a sweet little denouement. That was all it intended to be, and it succeeded. However, as a sequel, it doesn’t quite stand on it’s own, for if you haven’t seen Under the Gun, you have no idea who the hell Vic Gagne is. The scope of Under The Gun is missing here, but there are vast improvements in this film over its predecessor. For starters, I’m quite happy with Remeaux (the villain,) though his early exit from the story does leave us wanting more of a personal conflict at the film’s climax. The pacing is much tighter than Under The Gun, and the acting, for the most part, is also superior. Plus, the helicopter looks better than ever, and certain effects (the car crash) are visceral and exciting. That’s right, I said EXCITING. IT’S A MOTHERFUCKING CAR CHASE, PEOPLE!

THE GOOD: Visuals, pacing, music, and for the most part, the acting. That last scene works surprisingly well, and it’s nice to see such a character based scene take us out of the film, instead of a forced twist or contrived explosion. And I for one would like to say that James Dastoli looks more comfortable in the role of Gagne, despite the fact that he still looks twelve (except for that last scene in the car, wherein he looks thirty and in need of a martini.)

THE BAD: Story, and at times, the acting.

THE DASTOLI: Though a stronger film than Under the Gun, performance and story issues hold it back from standing on it’s own legs. Regardless, this short film builds, and accomplishes more in fourteen minutes than what most peanut galleries could accomplish in a lifetime. 3.5 out of 5 Dastoli’s.