NO TRAILER CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
First, the Recap:
Offender. Felon. Captive. Add this to the list of terms no one we hope would wish to ascribe to themselves and/or their current state of being. Yet, in SOME form, should we not realize that we ALL have a certain degree of digression we hold within or in our actions, even on a daily basis? What separates it from criminality is that so many of these “wrongs” are innate to human nature and can, ideally, be forgiven, learned from, and dealt with constructively for our growth. However, when personal beliefs or preferences spark actions that DO take us in dubious directions, yet reflect far more broken circumstances, what price do we still, perhaps, UNDULY pay? In 2026, Cillian (Michael Boston) has encountered this to an extreme degree in the wake of deeply controversial electoral results and choices he made that have now found him imprisoned. Can he abide in a world filled with such overt malice, or end up forever locked away as America’s very fabric continues to inexorably erode?
Next, my Mind:
Evident yet purposeful fiction comes into equally intentional, undeniably unnerving contact with the all-too-present actualities of current political polarization, societal atmosphere, and existing apprehensions surrounding the upcoming presidential election thanks to this indie feature film from writer/director/producer/editor/cinematographer Michael Boston which places its emphasis firmly on a “what if” scenario that gets pushed forward by a creative mix of drama, satiric humor, and dare this critic state, a legitimate (even if here portrayed to an extreme) warning about the future of this great nation and its claim to freedom being in jeopardy. Folks, while again Boston’s objective and posed disclaimer at both the start and end of the film is clearly establishing the aforementioned fictional nature of what we’re witness to and the particular situation the story is driven by, it is hard to avoid the simple truths that, most likely, there ARE people out there who could SEE this kind of resulting impact on America’s state of being in SOME form should the 2024 election happen to come about with the results shown here.
This isn’t to be alarmist in ANY way, nor push/support any one party’s agenda, but rather to point out just HOW fractured this country’s entire political landscape IS, and I honestly applaud Boston for being willing to address this subject matter in the manner he has, which once more gives full measure of credit to the boldness and fearlessness indie filmmakers thrive on. The narrative we’re given here that sees one man’s viewpoint of events several years after the 2024 election has occurred, the subsequent rash of hardships placed upon the country because of it that are absconding with and striking at the very core of our national pride, worth, and innate freedoms, it is a more slow burn, character and story-driven approach taken, which in this context COULD isolate the film’s appeal for some viewers. But, as is the case almost exclusively in this critic’s opinion, one must be willing to look beyond the foundational center of the effort and instead delve into a smartly executed range of thematic tangents that cement the project’s arguments and motivations quite astutely despite being a work of imagination spurned on by certain facts.
Based on what we view, explorations about the harshness of political retaliation, prison conditions, fear-mongering, concern over whom we ally with in the world, the underlying disconcert over the possible fate of America, broken promises, lack of any true faith in the one who is supposed to be our nation’s prime representative leader, dictatorship-like decisions, the notion of interruptions of international trade by other countries we consider our opposition, said nations aligning against us, the seeking of expanding power rather than common good of the people, seeing politicians being “asleep at the wheel”, leaders pushing things to undue and potentially disastrous limits, financial and stock market strain, tax burdens, and the plight of the middle class all get screen time within the story conveyed. But, there’s also a RELEASE portrayed in the film’s third act that allows us to have a sense of relief and hope for the country that justifiably allows us as the viewer to feel MUCH better about all that’s unfolded up to that point, even with this being fiction, for there’s just NO escaping the fact we DO have SOME unsettled sense of what’s to come for America this year post election.
From a visual standpoint, there was apparently some kind of production issue that didn’t allow the film to look well when attempting to view it in any “full screen” state, but ideally on smallest frame or a cell phone, which IS being corrected, but therefore made my viewing a bit hindered as far as ideally how it should have been. But, just being candid, this is grass roots indie filmmaking, and so in spite of this issue, some of the sound quality, and certain facets of the dialogue and delivery of it via the acting being a bit frayed for me, the most important aspect is still the narrative itself, and that as indicated above, this was accomplished solidly for what I feel Boston planned. Boston is another filmmaker who chooses to step out from behind the chair and act, this time through a lead role he takes on as Cillian, a man having been caught and/or arrested for a certain act in the wake of the 2024 election results and who’s now been incarcerated the last two years for it, even as he then sits back, reflecting on it, and watching as his beloved country is faltering drastically thanks to the president’s choices.
Also initially dealing with a prison guard who has tormented him and a newly introduced member of the government’s virtually Gestapo-like Inquiry Team who might be more than he appears initially trying to make him give up other “radicals”, Cillian’s journey is one of discontent, loss of faith, and brokenness that may never have a reprieve unless things change. Boston is highly understated here, which does befit the character’s situation without question. Some of Boston’s delivery seemed a bit forced at times, maybe just a little choppy, but he does well enough here to allow Cillian’s character to be one you can ultimately empathize with. Primary supporting turns are made by Karin Tracy as Cole, a seemingly cold prison guard that taunts Cillian but who may or may not have other actual feelings towards his and the nation’s predicaments and policies and Samuel Whitehill as Robert, a government agent who likewise has his initial agenda well at hand but could also be concealing a degree of dissatisfaction in his position and the state of affairs for the country that begin to arise as events transpire and his commitment to the current administration wavers dramatically. Both actors also deliver solid performances, though like Boston, I just sometimes couldn’t avoid feeling that it was all a little TOO wooden and lacking credible emotion.
Additional appearances are made by Courtney Enea as a police officer, Roslyn McKinney as a radio announcer, and Rachel Johns as the story’s narrator. So, in total, “Political Prisoner” may not be the strongest overall indie short film effort I’ve seen, but the means by which it chooses to illustrate and emphasize our country’s latest and deeply fragmented political and social reality is unavoidably feasible and jarring to the extents it SHOULD be. For even being that totally fictional exposé it is, it still resonates with the fundamental, the ESSENTIAL, truth we HOPE is still what we wish the U.S.A. to be about–ONE nation under God, INDIVISIBLE, with LIBERTY and justice for ALL.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
