David No's "Forged" is a remarkable short film that defies strict genre labels, touching equal parts science fiction, fantasy, action, and drama. The visual beauty and fluidity of "Forged" are immediately engaging and give way to the complex emotional elements of the story, a well-worn path that never comes across as trite or played-out. It is ground happily revisited. The director's choice of locations showcase such brilliant anachronisms that the viewer never gets a true lock on the time period or locale where the events take place, giving us just enough fantasy, post-apocalyptic harshness, and historical romanticism to let go of reality and fall headlong into the film. The music and action sequences are so well married that the grace of the piece speaks louder that any character, though the performances aren't anemic, either. Juda refuses ever to be ignored. Marla's emotional collapse in the barn hits the mark exactly. And the restraint with which the character of Sargon is handled further speaks of a deeper understanding of the art. The angst of this film creeps slowly beneath the skin, taking hold of the viewer, until the heart-wrenching final moments when our worst fears are realized. "Forged" doesn't settle for the mundane, doesn't give in and make anything easy for you, and doesn't disappoint. David No and "Forged" really "get it."
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