Hirokin: The Last Samurai (2012) Hirokin (original title)

Director:

Alejo Mo-Sun

Writer:

Alejo Mo-Sun (written by)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The fate of man lies in the hands of a warrior.

Plot:

A reluctant samurai with a dark past sets off on a mission to fulfill his destiny.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Warrior | Execution | Oppression | Desert Planet

Cast

Wes Bentley	...	Hirokin
Jessica Szohr	...	Orange
Angus Macfadyen	...	Moss
Laura Ramsey	...	Maren
Julian Sands	...	Griffin
Mercedes Manning	...	Terra
Justin Shilton	...	Cain
Rodney Charles	...	Honsu
Esteban Powell	...	Sevren
Newton Kaneshiro	...	Airborne
Max Martini	...	Renault
Rowena Zirbel	...	Pheon
Daz Crawford	...	Kore
Robert Fleet	...	1st Rebel Leader
Lauren Mo-Sun	...	Audowen
Carrie Lazar	...	Mid-wife
Chiara Digiallorenzo	...	Emerald
Jason Barry	...	Barson
Mario Perez	...	Third Man
Brett A. Newton	...	Lookout
Edward Gusts	...	Arid Leader 2
Stephane Nicoli	...	Tribe Member
Mark Anthony Lopez	...	Human Survivor
Josh Cowdery	...	Rebel Leader
Alexandra Amadio	...	Bartender's Wife (as Alexandra Armadio)
Amanda Peters	...	Concubine #1
Emily Callaway	...	Concubine #2
Ryan Everett Canfield	...	Arid Rebel Leader
Casey Larios	...	Deacon #1
Joey Fantastico	...	Deacon #2
Amber Asdourian	...	Orange June 4th, 2010
Joseph Desmond	...	Nuran
Omar Wilkes	...	Reaper
Ron Geren	...	Soldier #1
Patrick Bentley	...	Soldier #2
Julie Engerman	...	Arid Slave Girl / Arid Slave #2
Fabio Periera	...	Soldier #3
Sigmund Watkins	...	Honsu Photo Double
Devin Manning	...	Hirokin Photo Double
Daniel Lennon	...	Finley's Guard / Griffin Double
Brooke Mueller	...	Arid Mother
Sydney Fiore	...	Lila
Mordecai Finley	...	Finley (as Rabbi Mordecai Finley Ph.D.)
Jenifer Cononico	...	Ellen
Stefania Digiallorenzo	...	Emerald's Sister
John L. Baker	...	Rebel Leader #2 (as John Baker)
Mariel Gomsrud	...	Maren Double / Arid Woman
Jill Frye	...	Arid Women #2
James Fuentez	...	Deacon #3
Jonathan Freed	...	Arid Elder
Dustin Reynolds	...	Apostate
Gregory Bell	...	Deacon #4
Rowly Dennis	...	Deacon #5
Andrew Gohl	...	Arid Villager
Larry Finlay	...	Arid Villager
James Miller	...	Deacon #6
Pat Ledbetter	...	Arid Elder #2
Ryan Miller	...	Deacon #7
Nicole Corrao	...	Arid Villagers #1
Kira Arias	...	Arid Villagers #2
Jaynie Thompson	...	Arid Villagers #3
Carla Cullen	...	Arid Villagers #4
Jackie Chevalier	...	Arid Villagers #5
Laryn Hundley	...	Arid Villagers #6
Robin Kimbell	...	Arid Villagers #7
Jamie Caldera	...	Arid Villagers #8
Cassy Crippen	...	Arid Villagers #9
Rebecka Gray	...	Arid Villagers #10
Rhonda Dunbar	...	Arid Villagers #11
Matthew Wolf	...	The Voice of Kore
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kohl V. Bladen	...	Rebel Warrior #1 (uncredited)
Wayne Brandenburg	...	Villager (uncredited)
Danielle Catherine	...	Arid Slave (uncredited)
Franq Ezenekwe	...	Rebel (uncredited)
Kira Muchnik	...	Concubine #3 (uncredited)
Adam J. Wagener	...	Arid Slave (uncredited)

Directed by
Alejo Mo-Sun

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alejo Mo-Sun		written by

Produced by
John Caliendo	....	executive producer
John Will Clay	....	co-producer
Elaine Dysinger	....	line producer
Jason Fandrich	....	executive producer
Danielle James	....	co-producer
Daniel Lennon	....	executive producer
Ken Locsmandi	....	executive producer
Summer McCloskey	....	associate producer
Alejo Mo-Sun	....	producer
Lauren Mo-Sun	....	co-producer
Braxton Pope	....	producer
Scott Snare	....	associate producer
Gregory Welteroth	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Paesano

Cinematography by
Cameron Duncan

Film Editing by
Jennifer Harrington
Travis North
Bryan Roberts

Production Design by
Stephanie J. Gordon

Art Direction by
Michael Rixon

Costume Design by
Jessica Wenger

Makeup Department
Stephanie Bravo	....	makeup department head
George Frangadakis	....	special makeup effects project supervisor
Andrew Freeman	....	creature designer
Andrew Freeman	....	sculptor
Vincent J. Guastini	....	special makeup & creature effects designer and supervisor

Production Management
Elaine Dysinger	....	unit production manager
Brianna Kondrat	....	assistant production supervisor: pick-ups
Will Raee	....	production supervisor: pick-ups
Jaki West	....	additional unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christian Clarke	....	first assistant director
Craig Harris	....	second assistant director
Jaysene Overton	....	second assistant director
Chris Smernes	....	first assistant director
Brian Sofsky	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Steve Clarke	....	previsualisation artist
John Dimmick	....	prop maker
Ben Estes	....	construction grip
John Everett	....	laborer
Ian Ferguson	....	construction grip
Cary Garrison	....	construction grip
Jacqueline Kay	....	set dresser
Daniel McAlpine	....	prop maker
Arthur 'Chip' Norris	....	laborer
John Blake Pietrolungo	....	prop maker
Liz Wilson	....	on-set dresser
David Zachary	....	prop maker
Hannah Zachary	....	set dresser
Sarah Zachary	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Julie Altus	....	adr recordist
Patrick Cusack	....	adr editor
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	digital assistant
Alexandra Gallo	....	boom operator
Greg Hayes	....	sound recordist
Richard Hocks	....	foley artist
Gina Manegio	....	adr recordist
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound designer & editor
Lisa Pinero	....	sound mixer
Ricky Rogers	....	adr recordist
Warren Santiago	....	foley artist
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Mathew Waters	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mathew Waters	....	supervising sound designer & editor
Ben Wilkins	....	foley supervisor
Ben Wilkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist

Visual Effects by
Andrew Lewitin	....	visual effects
Ken Locsmandi	....	visual effects
Jeremy Shuback	....	digital artist
Diego Torroija	....	visual effects
Michael Joseph Warren	....	visual effects artist (as Michael Warren)

Stunts
Lloyd Barachina	....	stunts
Patrick Bentley	....	stunt performer
Timothy Thomas Brown	....	stunt double: Angus Macfadyen
Timothy Thomas Brown	....	stunts
Robert Chapin	....	stunts
Joey Fantastico	....	stunt performer
Joey Gardner	....	stunts
Julius LeFlore	....	stunt coordinator
Mario Perez	....	fight coordinator
Mario Perez	....	stunt double: Julian Sands
Mario Perez	....	stunt double: Wes Bentley
Samuel Reynolds	....	stunt double
Scott Rosen	....	stunt double
Marcus Salgado	....	fight coordinator
Paul Anthony Scott	....	stunts
Tom Waite	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Emma Alling	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
John L. Baker	....	video assist (as John Baker)
Kevin Ball	....	key grip
Justin Browne	....	steadicam operator: "a" camera operator
Scott Dropkin	....	additional steadicam operator
Nikki Gray	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Danny Grunes	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Matt Kennedy	....	still photographer
Nvard Khachatryan	....	d.i.t assistant
Brandon Margulies	....	first assistant camera
Clint Moran	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Scott Snare	....	dit red camera
Michael P. Tedford	....	additional cinematographer
Bas Tiele	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Krystine Couch	....	set costumer
Christina Matthews	....	costume assistant
Fabiola Ruiz	....	wardrobe assistant
Tiffany Welt	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Lysandra Petersson	....	assistant editor
Lysandra Petersson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Fuchs	....	scoring mixer
Joshua Johnson	....	composer: additional music
Braden Kimball	....	composer: additional music
Braden Kimball	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
John Proctor	....	transportation coordinator
Tim Schau	....	transportation

Other crew
Jeff Beachnau	....	office assistant
Patrick Bentley	....	assistant to wes bentley
Eric Clarke	....	location assistant
Elissa Cohn	....	assistant production coordinator
Helen de Vivien	....	production coordinator
Nicholas Fabiano	....	assistant to Ms. Szohr
Joey Fantastico	....	key set production assistant (as Joey Valenti)
Angie Kern	....	set medic
Ruba Kharuf	....	first assistant accountant
Esther Kiss	....	adr loop group
Brianna Kondrat	....	assistant to director
Daniel Lennon	....	production coordinator: pick-ups
Jill Naumann	....	location manager
Alice Loney Oestreich	....	production assistant
Kristin Owings	....	script supervisor
Jason Suhrke	....	set production assistant
Amery Thao	....	production assistant
Angela Trevino	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Hirokin Productions

Distributors

• Eagle Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (DVD) (as "Hirokin: The First Rebellion")
• Grindstone Entertainment Group (2012) (USA) (all media)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (all media)
• Signature Entertainment (2011-2012) (UK) (DVD)
• Signature Entertainment (2012) (UK) (DVD)
• Splendid Film (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (India) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2012) (Bangladesh) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2012) (Bhutan) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2012) (India) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2012) (Nepal) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2012) (Pakistan) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2012) (Sri Lanka) (all media)

Other Companies

• ABS Payroll & Production Accounting Services  payroll services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Executive Assurance  security
• Halfway Crooks Entertainment  camera equipment provided by
• Three Point Capital  funding
• Tunnel Post  digital intermediate

Also Known As:

"Hirokin" - USA (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:MA15+ | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Agua Dulce, California, USA

Company:

Hirokin Productions

Interesting & Ambitious Indie Film

People are comparing this to some big $50 million dollar studio films which it is simply not. It had an extremely small budget, but looks absolutely nothing like a low-budget movie. The fact that it's confusing people into thinking it was a studio movie is technically a really good thing.

Think about it, the cinematography, the quality of the film it was shot on, the posters, the CGI, the sound effects and the score, everything about the movie is able to compete with big budget studio movies-that's impressive.

Some of the actors aren't the best and the story isn't groundbreaking, but that's not unusual for indie movies especially when there are hundreds of movies with an entire cast of terrible actors (Hirokin had Wes Bentley as the lead) much worse than in Hirokin. It even has some surprising side-characters. The two stoner-buddy smugglers are extremely funny.

When you think about it like this, Hirokin is an achievement. An independent sci-fi action film is unheard of and extremely ambitious these days. Most indie movies involve characters sitting in an apartment or storefront and talking about hyper-specific culturally sensitive idiosyncratic topics and ideas for extremely niche audiences while Hirokin has SFX, an orchestral score, and looks like it was shot on another planet. Also Hirokin can travel internationally just fine.

Hirokin is not a 'studio blunder' like John Carter-it is a new breed of indie film that is able to confuse you into thinking it was a studio level movie.