SNAG

US, 2023, 86 minutes, Colour.

Ben Milliken, Sofia Castro, Jonny Beauchamp, Ana Ortiz, Jeanette

Aguilar Harris, Jaime Camil, Brandan Hudson, Michelle Ortiz,Conor Tillman.

Directed by Ben Milliken.

The original title of this short action adventure film was SNAG: THE FIRST CHAPTER – hopes for the commercial success of the film and openness to sequels.

The film is the work of actor Ben Milliken, born in the UK, brought up in Australia, in Australian media, a boxer for 10 years, moving to the US for a film and television career. He has produced this film, cowritten, is the director and the star. He has quite an agreeable screen presence.

This is a Mexican adventure, reminding audiences of some Robert Rodriguez films, El Mariachi. Some mention has been made of Quentin Tarantino – and his influence is very clear when the two hitmen arrive, in suits and ties, and have quite a long discussion, verbal sequences beloved by Tarantino.

A mood is set with the opening sequences, a musical score suggestion of the spaghetti westerns. Each of the characters is introduced visually, bright and elaborate colours.

The style of the screenplay, and its continually moving, with the title on screen, THEN to NOW and continual intermovement. Which means that the audience has to pay attention, discovering Snag, the central character, wounded, in a bar, Mexico, not speaking English, the reaction of the barman and hostility, a mysterious phone call, an elaborate fight with the customers, and the day being saved by the young woman, Valentina, attracted to Snag, firing into the air. She saves him.

The film makes a transition to the Now, with Snag working at a bar as security man. It is run by a brother and sister. He also has a caravan out near the ocean and seems content.

There are continual returns to the past, especially to Valentina’s mother, the ruthless cartel chief, Victoria. It has also revealed that she almost executed Snag as a failed drug runner but he escaped, she complaining always that he escapes. And, she is dismayed as her daughter is gunned down. She continues after Snag, everybody in her pay, a violent woman called the Reaper, the well-dressed twins, even the sister at the bar.

There are difficulties in the Now, a former friend and rival turning up, the brother and sister turning up with their limousine, then a shootout. And, surprisingly, hints of the survival of Valentina – and an important twist so that if Snag survives and if there is a sequel, there is the basis for a ready-made plot.