I saw Weaker Species as part of Toronto's Inside Out Film Festival. It was included a programme of shorts called "Gays and Confused". From that title, and the write up for the individual shorts, I was expecting something a lot lighter. I did not know that Weak Species was based on the writings of Dennis Cooper. I was definitely not prepared for the intensity of this film, nor were the two audience members who fainted during the screening.
George, played adequately by the attractive Brendan Bradley, is an arrogant artiste at the top of the High School food change. George seduces and discards the weaker members of his school while lusting after football star Cliff (Reed Windle).
At the bottom of the food chain is the troubled and perpetually high Steve (Erik Smith). Steve tries to escape his troubles through increasing rough sex. Instead of easing his sense of isolation, it only adds to his growing sense of despair.
The film alternates between the comic absurdity of George's self-importance and the intensity of Steve's downward spiral and the jarring violence that accompanies it.
Production values were high and Erik Smith was excellent, but I could have done without the sudden dark turn. The violence effectively left most of what was actually happening to the imagination of the audience. However, the violence in the climatic scenes did not further the story and could have remained completely off screen.
Movies do not need definitive endings but there should be consequences to the characters' actions that lay in the realm of possibility. This movie lacked any real consequences to events that would have had very serious repercussions. Steve and a teacher instrumental to a character's "trajectory," seem to simply return to school the next day.
Weak Species was technically quite good and will definitely have its fans. I just didn't like it very much. This movie is not for the faint at heart, and, if that statement gives you pause, I would skip this short.
George, played adequately by the attractive Brendan Bradley, is an arrogant artiste at the top of the High School food change. George seduces and discards the weaker members of his school while lusting after football star Cliff (Reed Windle).
At the bottom of the food chain is the troubled and perpetually high Steve (Erik Smith). Steve tries to escape his troubles through increasing rough sex. Instead of easing his sense of isolation, it only adds to his growing sense of despair.
The film alternates between the comic absurdity of George's self-importance and the intensity of Steve's downward spiral and the jarring violence that accompanies it.
Production values were high and Erik Smith was excellent, but I could have done without the sudden dark turn. The violence effectively left most of what was actually happening to the imagination of the audience. However, the violence in the climatic scenes did not further the story and could have remained completely off screen.
Movies do not need definitive endings but there should be consequences to the characters' actions that lay in the realm of possibility. This movie lacked any real consequences to events that would have had very serious repercussions. Steve and a teacher instrumental to a character's "trajectory," seem to simply return to school the next day.
Weak Species was technically quite good and will definitely have its fans. I just didn't like it very much. This movie is not for the faint at heart, and, if that statement gives you pause, I would skip this short.
