Clash

Clash is a tightly-knit urban story about how hopelessness and violence can be replaced with redemption... but it can be a long, bloody road. Set against the backdrop of gang violence and police corruption, the movie ultimately leaves the viewer with a positive message of the important choices facing us all, whether its family, love, racism, revenge or forgiveness.

Great performances by Daniel Venegas, Damon Whitaker and Dave Fennoy. The scenes between Venegas and Fennoy, as student/teacher, are particularly powerful and are the basis of a lot of the film's messages. Whitaker is as powerful as his famous relative, and delivers a bad guy performance that makes your skin crawl.

It's a low-budget film, but many of the performances, Zirilli's direction, and some solid writing make it engaging and thought-provoking from beginning to end.

Clash is the sequel to Daniel Zirilli's Vengeance. Both movies can stand alone but, both are well worth a look.

Zirilli uses "flashbacks" from Vengeance to bring viewers up to speed with the storyline in Clash. He does not over do it as to labor Clash but enhances the the storyline. As previously mentioned, either film can stand alone.

This is a story that pits struggles of good verses evil. One man's fight to conquer his demons and another man's embrace of all that is bad.

The directing moved the story forward with a pace that kept the story interesting. The actors were all very good. However, the one stand out for me was Damon Whitaker. He was very good in Vengeance and, I feel, terrific in Clash.

A good enjoyable movie.

Bill Shaffer