Considering the film was done with a very small budget by a first time film-maker, "Westender" is a noble effort and has many quality bits. There are a few snags here and there, but most of these will fade with experience.
The story follows a down on his luck knight in a medieval fantasy world. After a night of hard drinking and gambling, Sir Asbrey of Westend bets and loses a precious ring. The movie follows his journey to reclaim his ring, and of course along the way rediscover himself and what truly matters.
To get the negatives out of the way, "Westender" felt much longer than the hour and forty-five minutes it was. Many scenes, while beautifully shot, could be tightened. There are simply too many long environment shots that do not movie the story forward. A few of the actors, mostly first timers themselves I imagine, that are a bit wooden in acting and line delivery -- some less than stellar dialog surely contributes to this. As long as the movie felt, it left several plot lines dangling without closure.
On a more positive note, as I mentioned earlier, the film is visually beautiful. It proves that a quality director goes further than a big budget. Scene composition, lighting and movement are all handled really well. The score to the film really helps to compliment the wonderful shots.
Overall, a strong premiere for a new director. There is certainly room for improvement, but many of the fundamentals are here and very strong. I look forward to future films.
