From distributors Gravitas Ventures with production from Red Rover Movies comes Shepard. A thriller film that attempts to not so subtly speak to the value of nature and nurture by locking two abused and apathetic loners together. First comes Ray (Kurt Krause) whose path of being flung around from home to home has left him with both visible and mental scars. The news of actual family in the form of an Aunt comes as a welcome surprise to Ray and after moving in, life seems to be on the up and up.
But soon after, Ray discovers that there will always be someone there to torment him. There will always be someone looking to take out their own misfortunes on those who aren’t willing to fight back. Ray finds out that no matter how quiet he is, some people are just rotten to the core for no reason whatsoever.
Ray meets Shephard; in the wrong place at the wrong time in the middle of a liquor store tussle. A mysterious savior unafraid of consequences and with the ability to never let anyone stand in his way. It makes perfect sense that he would be drawn to someone like this.
Shepard 2020
The narrative for this quiet dramatic thriller comes from the mind of Philip Landa whose previous work Outrighteous also boasts a story about relationships in the form of a comedy. Jourdan McClure directs, with his 2020 title being his third stint in the director’s chair. There are a few odd choices when it comes to how the film plays out.
There are moments mid-way when making everything as dark as possible is used to implement a change of temperament. An inward cacoon for Ray who seems trapped in a world that is not of his doing. I also saw this as a way of describing that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Shepard, it turns out, might have initially seemed like the Ying to Ray’s Yang. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that this is not the case.
Both discover they have scars. What Ray perceives as having things in common, comes from a place of having never been top dog. Shepard may come from a similar background, but it’s obvious his journey has changed him. The two end up in a battle of wills where Ray’s attempt to dish out some reckoning comes at a massive cost.
Shepard Movie Final Thoughts
Performances are pretty good in the Shepard movie and Kurt Krause as Ray has an understated quiet that suits his character. Will Beinbrink’s Shepard also has some great dark moments however, at times, simply wasn’t menacing enough to cause the amount of tension I needed to get on board? Some of the dialogue makes for some unfortunate predictability. There are also a few scenes that made me wonder whether teachers are taught anything about confidentiality in this universe.
Overall, Shepard is still one of the better films for Gravitas Ventures. At times a little slow going but not a bad time passer.
I give Shepard
2.5 I’ll show you mine out of 5
Shepard Movie Where to Watch
Shepard is streaming on:
SHEPARD IS ON DIGITAL HD/ON-DEMAND FROM MARCH 10 2020
Cast for Shepard includes
- Kareem J. Grimes
- Greg Proops
- Ashley Nicole Williams
- Will Beinbrink
Best Titles From Gravitas Ventures
- Violent Movies: Who’s Watching Oliver? / Deliver Us From Evil
- POV: The Little Horror Movie: A found-footage style film with demons and possessions in a social media setting.
- Thrillers Movies All Light Will End
Shepard Movie Trailer
