The Prodigy

Exciting and well-paced, 'The Prodigy' is a crime movie that plays like a horror movie. You have the haunted hero and his quirky pals going up against the seemingly unstoppable killer that will take them all to the edge of their sanity. Put guns in every hand, and you have an offbeat and very welcome thriller.

'The Prodigy' is a little come-out-of-nowhere masterpiece, the first feature of director William Kaufman, who co-wrote the script with stars Boggs, and Beckham. It's a taught, tight independent movie that looks as slick as any Hollywood lackluster. The ample, almost endless fight-scenes and shoot-outs are expertly choreographed and edited, and the entire movie looks crisp and beautiful. This is one of those films where you can see every penny present on the screen, shot no doubt while the leads were crashing on each others' floors and eating beans out of a can. If there is any fault to be had with the film, it's that the plot is a bit murky, with motivations difficult to figure out at times-in the beginning, I was convinced that Truman was an undercover cop, and his bust had gone bad; in reality it was a situation of rival gangs having a lively, bloody discussion. But if you sit back and let 'The Prodigy' take you where it wants to go, you'll never be bored and never be anything less than entertained and impressed. Standing out on a pyramid of outstanding actors is the film's true find, star Holt Boggs, who infuses the morally-ambiguous Truman with a depth and intelligence not usually found in low-budget crime thrillers (or big budget ones, for that matter). Actress and stuntwoman Inosanto is fun to watch as well. Truth be told, there isn't a false note struck by any character.

Mike Watt - FILMTHREAT

I saw THE PRODIGY on its last night screening in Dallas and was delighted with the outcome. As an independent filmmaker myself, it was great to see such local talent (Both in front of and behind the camera) doing such wonderful jobs with a script that could have been very formulaic. A great job was done all round, from the overall quality of the film to the cast and crew, I really enjoyed this film and would be very surprised if it weren't picked up for distribution along the way. If you get the chance to see this film, I would not pass it up. You will be pleasantly surprised. There is more freshness and originality in this independent film than there is in most of the big studio films that are being thrown at us constantly. Great job to all involved!

Interesting that the IMDb recommends the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye as a companion piece for admirers of The Prodigy. But the fact is that Prodigy likely has more inventiveness, directorial savvy, frightening villainy, editing prowess, and well-spent money in its cutting-floor leavings than GoldenEye, or dozens of other big actioners for that matter, have from beginning to end.

Genre films are often cranked out as hasty marketing gimmicks; perhaps they are watched and perhaps not, but in most cases either way, they're quickly forgotten. Here, we have a psychological/crime thriller that stays in the viewer's lens long after the credits have rolled. The acting is solid throughout--superb in spots, actually, especially from star Holt Boggs and costar and co-writer Matt Beckham--and the surprises are well-plotted and considered. Just as importantly, intricate, minutes-long gunbattle and action scenes, which would normally be confusing failures in most low-budget hands, are directed and edited with a precision that allows us to follow the jarring action with the same attention and involvement that we do when we see Prodigy's less-interesting big-budget brethren. Sometimes as many as ten characters are involved in these sequences, but we are never distracted, confused or annoyed by their number, as they are showcased only when needed, to maximum effect. (Added note, and kudo to director Kaufman: Thanks for not filming yet another Nine Inch Nails video and passing it off as an action film.)

I was surprised and impressed at a recent Texas screening of this film, and can only hope that some attentive distributor realizes that memorable, riveting action can be done for less than $10 million. If this one surfaces at a festival or theater near you, don't waste any time--see it.

The Prodigy is straight out awesome. Flawless direction (William Kaufman), outstanding acting, amazing editing, and top notch sound. The film looks outstanding, the producer (David Rucker) and his production team made sure that every penny was put on the screen. This is a movie that keeps you guessing until the end and will stay on your mind way after it is over. The story is about Truman (Holt Boggs) a mobster who is looking for someone who killed some people at his bosses house and then kidnapped his bosses Nephew. What Truman doesn't know is this mysterious person is also looking for him. This movie is full of action, comedy, and suspense, but the mysterious killer being hunted is truly terrifying. He is as scary if not scarier than any villain from a horror movie. As far as the shoot out scenes go. I couldn't even compare it to an action movie, It's more like a war movie. You just have to see it to believe it. I loved this movie. I saw it at a premiere in Dallas. I think it will make its rounds at festivals before being released to the public, but if you get a chance to see it...do it.

I recently saw this film at it's premiere in Dallas, Texas at the Magnolia theater. I knew very little about it, other than it was some local filmmakers on a tight budget. I was impressed and blown away by the professional quality from the opening credits to the end of the film. The acting was top notch even from the bit players. The main character Truman was played with a level of sophistication that even some ultra-high budget film haven't been able to achieve with big name stars. Holt Boggs took a two-bit mob character that typically is overdone and delivered an outstanding performance showing the inner turmoil of a person suffering the consequences of actions inside and outside his control. The director has uncanny eye for action. The fight scenes are realistic and exciting without being over the top. I think the best way to sum up the whole movie is to say that in a genre that is either too overdone or too cheesy, this one is done just right. I hope this film is picked up, because I want to own my copy of the DVD as soon as it is released.