When I watch a movie, my expectations are not that high. I want strongly-written characters. I want a compelling and entertaining narrative. I want people to act in a logical and coherent manner. Unfortunately, the Trost Bros.’ The FP has none of that, and commits one of the worst entertainment sins of all: taking an intentionally absurd concept and playing it completely straight, which results not in greatness, as the creative talent undoubtedly thought it would, but in sheer idiocy, often to the point where you want to get up, walk away, and find some way to forget that you watched this atrocity. The movie revolves around two gangs in a post-apocalyptic future who settle scores in the most obvious manner possible: through Dance Dance Revolution battles. Such an absurd concept seems like it would fit well with a Monty Python sketch, and this film could easily be declared a success if it embraced the wackiness of the situation, perhaps even going so far as to be a satire on what we value as important in our society. Unfortunately the film does none of that, and just ends up being weird…and not in a good way (though Brandon definitely thinks otherwise).
There are some bright spots in this dark mess of a film, however. Cinematographer Brandon Trost truly knows his craft, and the results show. Be it a heavily wooded area, a damp underground hangout, or a shadowy training facility, Brandon Trost knows exactly what lighting to use and how to set the frame. He doesn’t paint a picture with the frame and lights, but he does a very strong job in creating an alluring atmosphere, a skill many can learn from. Trost deserves better material than what he’s worked on, as it’s clear he possesses real talent.
Despite the pretty visuals, the script is a disaster in every sense of the word. In an effort to add to the “gang” feel of the film, writer Jason Trost allows his characters to speak in fictional street slang. While it may have been done as a way to flesh out the world the characters live in, all it does it make everyone unintelligible, meaning that the majority of the dialogue is incomprehensible. Compounding the problem is that the film is written in a traditional style: it isn’t a silent film where the information is just fed to you visually, it is a film that uses dialogue for exposition, plot, and character develo
pment, like most films. It’s difficult to like something if you can’t understand what it is you’re watching.
The plot itself is basic–by the Trost Brothers’ own admission, it’s a rehash of Rocky—but the acting could have potentially saved it. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Most of the actors are quite flat in their performance, and the one or two that show some strong emotion are hampered by the script. In addition to being incomprehensible most of the time, the female characters are treated with immense abuse, both emotional and physical. They are constantly used as sex objects, and sadly seem to enjoy the role—instead of going for a kiss at the end, the love interest gives the protagonist a blowjob. This is not a film that empowers women, it is a film that demeans them, and only adds to the degrading quality of the project.
The Disc: The special features are nice, as the cast and crew give their thoughts on the film in some basic documentary-style features. Nothing special, but a nice look at the film. Though we obviously have different thoughts on the material, it is clear that the people working for it are full of love and passion for the film, and deserve a reward for that at least. If you have the film, check out their thoughts.
Film Rating: Save your time and money. 1/10
DVD Rating: 5/10
Bottom Line: Not worth it. 2/10
The FP is now available from Drafthouse films on Blu-ray and DVD
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