Patrick Devaney and Devarez Films have always been different, and I mean that in a good way. They go against the grain and make projects that are artist and thematic instead of the current big craze in media. They make projects that take audiences back to a simpler time in film-making, often reminding the audience of styles and techniques that Hollywood has long forgotten and speaking to multiple generations of movie viewers. This is clearly visible in Devaney’s latest film, Impervia, which I can only describe as a mix of Blade Runner and The Matrix. There’s a whole lot more going on in Impervia than robots taking over an unhappier version of Earth in the not too future.
The film centers around a small family – a father, a mother and their two daughters – as they huddle together in a house in the middle of a wasteland that used to be a part of America. Now under the control of oppressing and sneaky yet somewhat respectable humanoid robots, an enforcer knocks on their door to let them know the New World Order government has seized their property and the family has the gift of 24 hours to flee before they take it by force. The family has been pushed to the limit before and aren’t too keen on leaving again. But what other choice do they have when they’re out-numbered and out-gunned in a world almost void of organic life? Marc Abbott, Deana Demko, Zoe Gronner, Elena Randolph, Kelly Rae LeGault, Melissa Damas, Linnet J. Brooks and Christopher J. Murphy star in this short film from writer/director/editor Patrick Devaney and co-producers Lauren Clover and Christopher Murphy.
The biggest highlight of Impervia is the use of practical special effects to build the robots. A major round of applause for Devaney and Michael Anthony Scardillo for creating props and prosthetics that so closely mirror those of the 80’s and 90’s. You’re looking for good, old school science fiction? This is good, old school science fiction. I’m absolutely in love with the designs they created and impressed with the level of effort that must have went into crafting them. It’s touches like these that can make or break a movie and in this case it adds an extra layer of love, continuity and movie magic that’s really going to strike a positive auxiliary cord (see what I did there?) with the audience. My second favorite thing about Impervia is the ever evolving story-line and the surprises you won’t see coming, I know I didn’t. The drama, action and suspense here is not one sided and the constant plot twists are going to keep you entertained and shocked the entire way through. Expert screenwriting and imaginative effects, you can’t go wrong here.
When it comes to the acting, and with all due respect, I think Impervia is one of Deana Demko’s best performances during her twenty year career in the business. She’s expressive and on the mark here and it was just a joy to watch. This is also my introduction to the rest of the cast, so it was nice to see a lot of new talent that jelled well together. The on-set chemistry shines through in a believable way and that’ll make the audience root for the small family because they feel like a family, not just actors spouting lines of dialogue. No critiques with the acting at all. My only critique with this short film lies in the way Devany showcased the desolate wasteland surround the house and the mecca city way off in the distance. I understand the shots were done in this way, with green screen, to keep the world Devany built as cohesive as possible, but I think he’s a great film-maker and could have been more inventive in creating the world around them. In hindsight, the green screen scenes match all of the visual and graphic effects from David Gechman, which are, of course, his usual top notch quality; so I can’t harp on this decision too much.
Impervia is better than I expected and has way more than meets the eye. It’s a gift to cinema buffs who know and love the science fiction genre. Jam packed with drama and practical effects, and highlighted by an incredible cast and crew, Impervia is going to blast the competition in the film festival circuit. Speaking of which, it has its world premiere scheduled for January 2017 as part of the Macabre Faire Film Festival line-up. This is a scifi flick to watch out for, I promise! Final Score: 7.5 out of 10.
