STANDOFF

Canada, 2016, 80 minutes, Colour.
Laurence Fishburne, Thomas Jane, Ella Ballentine, Joanna Douglas, Jim Watson.
Directed by Adam Alleca.

Standoff is a brief Canadian thriller. The subject matter is violence and brutality.

Laurence Fishburne portrays a hitman for hire, killing victims at a funeral, stating that he is obeying orders and was professional. He is seen by a young girl, Ella Ballentine, who is taking photos. He pursues her and she takes refuge in a house of a veteran played by Thomas Jane. He promises to protect her. In the shooting, both men are injured, the assassin remaining downstairs, the veteran upstairs.

There is verbal interplay throughout the day, weapon threats, the expertise of the assassin, the wits of the veteran, an attempt for the little girl to escape but their being caught and her relying on the veteran to save her.

There is an interlude with a policeman who comes across the funeral scene, comes to the house, is shot by the assassin – and tortured with the breaking of all his fingers before his finally killed. There is also a use of the mobile phone of the veteran to call a young woman and then threatens her so that the girl will come downstairs.

There is a final confrontation which involves the little girl herself and whether she will shoot the assassin or not.

Unpleasant theme but audiences identifying with the moral situation and responsibilities for life and death.

1. The title? The description of the action? The description of the confrontation between the two men?

2. Brief running time, the action taking place over the day?

3. The location, Carter and his house, yard, the boy playing? The transition to the cemetery, the few people present? The arrival of the assassin at the cemetery? The shootings? Bird taking photographs? The house, the surroundings, the interiors, the downstairs for the killer, the upstairs for Carter and Bird? The musical score?

4. The violence and brutality of the action?

5. The introduction to Carter, veteran, the young woman, the son playing? Carter and his memories?

6. The funeral, the words of the Minister, the assassin, shooting the Minister, the bodyguard, confronting the woman, mentioning his boss? Killing her? The encounter with Bird’s father and shooting him?

7. Bird, with her father, the unexplained background, his forbidding her to take photos of the cemetery? Visiting the grave? Seeing the funeral, seeing the shootings, photographing? Her running away, pursued to the house, taking refuge?

8. The character of the assassin, his profession, his explanation of his killings, obeying orders, not for pleasure? The ruthlessness of the cemetery? The shooting at Carter, the assassin being wounded, tending to his wounds, bleeding? The verbal confrontations with Carter? The challenges? His being masked? Wanting the girl because she had seen him? The day continuing, his knowledge of weapons, having Carter’s phone, summoning the young woman? The police officer, his shooting him, hiding the car, torturing him with breaking his fingers, pressure on Carter to send the girl down? Shooting the officer? His gradually getting weaker?

9. Carter, only one gun, only one round? His integrity? Wanting to protect the girl, the conversations? His being wounded, her tending his wound, the tablets? His keeping vigil to protect her? The attempt for her to get out the window and the assassin seeing them? Carter and his talking, the continued bluff? The death of the police officer and its pressure on him to send down the girl? The young woman arriving, Carter having to make a decision, coming down to surrender, but with the knife, Bird coming down with the rifle? The upset, Carter stabbing the assassin, his bleeding and collapse? Carter and his wounds and his collapse?

10. The young woman, helping the girl, the fading lights, the light from the car? Bird coming downstairs, confronting the assassin, his taunting her, her pulling the trigger, the bullet ineffectual? The reverse, her daring the assassin, his death? Her going to Carter, his surviving?

11. Audiences identifying with the situations, the characters, the dangers, the judgments to be made, endangering of the lives?