Review: DEFECTIVE (2018)
We all want to think of the future as a wonderful, happy time where people and technology have evolved past the problems of the world as we now know it. But there’s always been a strong literary tradition of the opposite, dystopian futures where matters have gotten worse. Classics like 1984 and THE HANDMAID’S TALE as well as a host of young adult franchises such as THE HUNGER GAMES come to mind. In DEFECTIVE writer/director, Reese Eveneshen, (DEAD GENESIS, FOR THE SAKE OF VICIOUS) delivers a police state that feels all too plausible in the era of militarized police, private armies and for-profit prisons.
In the very near future, the State Enforcement Authorities (SEA) handle law enforcement for a government run by corporations. It has armoured cyborg Preservers of Peace everywhere and access to every bit of information about everyone and everything. Rhett (Colin Paradine) is a veteran of multiple tours in Ukraine who has fallen on hard times. He already has several warnings against him, mostly for unpaid bills.
When he witnesses a woman’s summary execution SEA deems him “Defective”. His estranged sister, Jean, (Raven Cousens, DEAD RUSH) finds out and rushes to his side, but not before catching the eye of Pierce (Dennis Andres, A WAKEFIELD PROJECT, LADY PSYCHO KILLER), the rebellious new guy at the government facility she works at. Soon they all find themselves deep in a conspiracy where nobody is who, or what they seem.
Eveneshen and his crew deserve a lot of credit for making DEFECTIVE look as good as it does given the film’s money problems. Thankfully the effort wasn’t wasted. The script is as solid as the visuals. It manages to keep track of itself and its internal logic even as the crosses and double-crosses pile up. I do have a bit of an issue with the main conspiracy. I won’t give it away, but a few people have made serious money selling books about it. It doesn’t make sense in the real world, nor does it in a future where cyborgs are a reality.
The Preservers of Peace, or “Suits”, are well designed and fairly intimidating looking. The only problem is their armor must not be nearly as protective as it looks because not only can they be shot, Rhett frequently lands effective punches on them.
DEFECTIVE has some good action scenes and a solid plot. Its grim future is believable and not a million miles away from today’s headlines. Uncork’d Entertainment will release it to VOD on 2/13/2018.