jdring2007 Review of Rakka

Rakka (2017)

great effects and concept, but way too much whispered narration and drawn out scenes

[7/10 · 26 October 2021]

You'd figure that a 20min short film wouldn't waste a second. Especially with such an interesting, awesome, and compelling concept as this. Instead, we get at least 10min of drawn out dramatic cinematography (if it can be called that) plastered with whispered narration that feels gratuitous after the first two minutes. I get needing context and exposition; the first few minutes serves as that. But it's beaten down, torturously, as we proceed to watch - or try to watch - incredibly engaging visuals. With the narration so distracting, I nearly stopped with only 10min left. Part 3 is called "Siege" and begins with military guys preparing to move out. So, action, right? Not yet. More narration. Eventually (the last 4min) we get to some footage of these amazingly created creatures, these crocodilian aliens and their technology, which is where the short film shines. Unfortunately I think about 16 of the 21min was narrated by this whispering woman. If this prologue of sorts ever makes it into a full movie, I can only hope that 80% of a 2 hour movie won't be plagued by such a decision.