Hawk is an extremely ambitious fantasy film that at its heart has a simple and recognisable story of the internal struggle of good versus bad, told on a grand, epic and audacious scale. The technical elements of this film are a real triumph, with the cinematography and score taking at points precedence over the transparency of the bold but convoluted plot. Set in the mesmerising mountains of Snowdonia and encompassing rarely featured Welsh language and locale, this film offers a bold and original take on the fantasy genre and achieves an admirable and commendable final product.
Immediately the viewer can appreciate the cinematography. The film opens with a striking wide shot of adult Rowan (Robert Gwyn Davin), set against a bleak and enraged Snowdonia horizon, as aerial shots of the majestic Snowdonia mountain range perfectly set the fantastical scene. With limited dialogue throughout, the challenge is set for director of photography, Martin Hill, to guide you on this journey, which, along with Stuart Hancock's score, is expertly navigated and are both a real highlight of the film. The original classical score from start to finish is intensely scintillating and is easily a one of the strongest components of the film that imbeds itself into your unconscious long after the film has finished.
Where the cinematography, location and score leave you wanting more, a particularly difficult aspect to navigate was the conceivably intentionally-illusive plot. Though of course ambiguity is at this fantasy films heart, it felt at points that it left the audience with too much work to do and at times felt like crucial plot points were omitted or not emphasised on enough. Furthermore, much of the film anchors itself between the relationship between the well-delivered performance of Gawain (Philip Madoc) and young Rowan (Steffan Thomas). However, at points this relationship was difficult to invest in and get behind, resulting in depleted levels of character empathy and insight that were, specifically in Rowan's case, needed later in the film. That being said, many elements of the story really stood out and persisted. Rowan's internal battle between good and bad was plain to see and was well delivered by Robert Gwyn Davin in the final third of the film. The theme of taking only what you need from the land and treating nature with respect resonated particularly well and some nine years after its release, and is arguably more imperative and relevant now, than it ever was.
Undeniably, to deliver a mythic, fantasy film is no easy feat but to deliver one that is original, daring and restricted to a short film and independent budget is an almighty task. Hawk is as close to the finished article as you will find. One can only commend director M. J. McMahon for his ambition for the scale and size of this project, and through captivating cinematography, an astonishing score and a highly original and ambitious plot, Hawk achieves a great deal.
Immediately the viewer can appreciate the cinematography. The film opens with a striking wide shot of adult Rowan (Robert Gwyn Davin), set against a bleak and enraged Snowdonia horizon, as aerial shots of the majestic Snowdonia mountain range perfectly set the fantastical scene. With limited dialogue throughout, the challenge is set for director of photography, Martin Hill, to guide you on this journey, which, along with Stuart Hancock's score, is expertly navigated and are both a real highlight of the film. The original classical score from start to finish is intensely scintillating and is easily a one of the strongest components of the film that imbeds itself into your unconscious long after the film has finished.
Where the cinematography, location and score leave you wanting more, a particularly difficult aspect to navigate was the conceivably intentionally-illusive plot. Though of course ambiguity is at this fantasy films heart, it felt at points that it left the audience with too much work to do and at times felt like crucial plot points were omitted or not emphasised on enough. Furthermore, much of the film anchors itself between the relationship between the well-delivered performance of Gawain (Philip Madoc) and young Rowan (Steffan Thomas). However, at points this relationship was difficult to invest in and get behind, resulting in depleted levels of character empathy and insight that were, specifically in Rowan's case, needed later in the film. That being said, many elements of the story really stood out and persisted. Rowan's internal battle between good and bad was plain to see and was well delivered by Robert Gwyn Davin in the final third of the film. The theme of taking only what you need from the land and treating nature with respect resonated particularly well and some nine years after its release, and is arguably more imperative and relevant now, than it ever was.
Undeniably, to deliver a mythic, fantasy film is no easy feat but to deliver one that is original, daring and restricted to a short film and independent budget is an almighty task. Hawk is as close to the finished article as you will find. One can only commend director M. J. McMahon for his ambition for the scale and size of this project, and through captivating cinematography, an astonishing score and a highly original and ambitious plot, Hawk achieves a great deal.