Watching low-budget, independent films is usually a lot of fun. What’s so great about independent filmmakers is that they really have a passion for what they do. They aren’t primarily trying to make money. They’re making movies because they really want to. And without a bigger studio above them making changes to their film, they can practically film whatever they want. It’s also interesting to see how they’re able to manage making a movie with such a small budget. One of my favorite group of independent filmmakers is The Stunt People who specialize in Hong Kong-style fight scenes. Though working with low budgets, they’ve been able to make great films with amazing fight scenes. Even their first feature-film, Contour, has put bigger budget action movies to shame.
Contour takes place in San Francisco and stars Eric Jacobus (Stunt People co-founder) as Lawrence Young. After failing to steal $30,000 for his boss, Tuoc (Stephen Reedy), he goes back to his old job as a tour guide which he is far from excited about. His clients include Alfonso (Ed Kahana) who’s a prince of the micro-nation, Uruvia; Alfonso’s bodyguard, Lei (Andy Leung); and a writer for Where Would Jesus Travel, Renee Wilder (Tyler Wang). Alfonso reveals to Law that his parents are offering two million dollars to whoever can find an important videotape and Law does whatever he can to get it. Doing so will not only save Uruvia, but also their cheese industry.
Contour takes place in San Francisco and stars Eric Jacobus (Stunt People co-founder) as Lawrence Young. After failing to steal $30,000 for his boss, Tuoc (Stephen Reedy), he goes back to his old job as a tour guide which he is far from excited about. His clients include Alfonso (Ed Kahana) who’s a prince of the micro-nation, Uruvia; Alfonso’s bodyguard, Lei (Andy Leung); and a writer for Where Would Jesus Travel, Renee Wilder (Tyler Wang). Alfonso reveals to Law that his parents are offering two million dollars to whoever can find an important videotape and Law does whatever he can to get it. Doing so will not only save Uruvia, but also their cheese industry.
Since Contour was The Stunt People’s first film, it’s inevitable that some amateurishness would show. The audio/video quality, lighting, and editing all could look much better. But considering that this film was made for only $5000, it’s actually really impressive to see what they were able to pull off. I won’t act like this flaws aren’t bothersome at times. A few scenes don’t really need to be there and certain shots could’ve been edited differently. There are also scenes that lack plausibility entirely, but that’s probably my only major complaint about the film.
There are a lot of great characters in this movie and since they’re all quirky and unique, it’s so much fun to watch them interact. I’d even argue that some of the acting is pretty good too. Eric Jacobus does a great job playing Law who’s a very likable jerk. Ed Kahana Jr as Alfonso starts out annoying, but as the film progresses, the character grew on me (particularly when he started fighting). I also really liked Dennis Ruel, who gives a delightful, almost hammy performance as the main villain, Ticker. Also, I really liked how Andy Leung as Lei was able to communicate without saying a single word in English.
There are a lot of great characters in this movie and since they’re all quirky and unique, it’s so much fun to watch them interact. I’d even argue that some of the acting is pretty good too. Eric Jacobus does a great job playing Law who’s a very likable jerk. Ed Kahana Jr as Alfonso starts out annoying, but as the film progresses, the character grew on me (particularly when he started fighting). I also really liked Dennis Ruel, who gives a delightful, almost hammy performance as the main villain, Ticker. Also, I really liked how Andy Leung as Lei was able to communicate without saying a single word in English.
I also found it surprising that this movie is really funny. The conversations and the situations that the characters get into are sometimes downright hilarious. Some of these jokes are so funny because they seem to have come right out of a cartoon. Tuoc is probably one of the funniest characters in the film. One of the comedic highlights is probably his TV commercial for his own style, Tae Phở: The art of fighting while eating noodles. He sometimes gets the funniest lines in the film.
Easily the best thing about this movie is the fight scenes. The fight scenes in this movie are remarkable. The actors really get to show their skill. There’s the opening fight, the fight in the dojo, and Alfonso’s hallucinated fights. The best fight in the film is no doubt the 17-minute long finale which blows me away every time I see it. With such a length, it should tedious to watch, but there’s so much variety that it keeps you energized long after it ends. There are four fights going on at the same time, but my favorite is probably the fight with Alfonso using Tae Phở (a modification of wushu) to fight a group of bad guys. The use of weapons (poles, chains, and even a hat) is fantastic. The scene where Law and Ticker tie their ties together while fighting is incredibly creative. The best word to describe the whole thing is inventive. Also, they aren’t called The Stunt People for nothing. They perform some very painful and elaborate stunts in this film that are simply breathtaking.
Easily the best thing about this movie is the fight scenes. The fight scenes in this movie are remarkable. The actors really get to show their skill. There’s the opening fight, the fight in the dojo, and Alfonso’s hallucinated fights. The best fight in the film is no doubt the 17-minute long finale which blows me away every time I see it. With such a length, it should tedious to watch, but there’s so much variety that it keeps you energized long after it ends. There are four fights going on at the same time, but my favorite is probably the fight with Alfonso using Tae Phở (a modification of wushu) to fight a group of bad guys. The use of weapons (poles, chains, and even a hat) is fantastic. The scene where Law and Ticker tie their ties together while fighting is incredibly creative. The best word to describe the whole thing is inventive. Also, they aren’t called The Stunt People for nothing. They perform some very painful and elaborate stunts in this film that are simply breathtaking.
Contour is a truly unique film. The characters are fun, the story’s fast-paced, the comedy is hilarious, and the action keeps you exhilarated. The action is definitely on par with the films that inspired it. The creativity shines through and is enough of a reason to make this a must-see for any action movie fan. The low-production values are sometimes bothersome, but still, they somehow add to the charm of the film. It continually reminds you that these guys are doing this because they want to and it’s very encouraging to watch if you want to get into filmmaking. To quote Eric Jacobus, “Energy bars, nuts, and water: You can make a movie with these three things.” Its got its flaws, but it's still a terrific action-comedy.
Images from IMDb, Planet Chocko, and Far East Films
Images from IMDb, Planet Chocko, and Far East Films