Brando Benetton’s ‘Nightfire’ Respectfully Salutes The Action Genre

Ukraine is facing hostility by Russia and two American agents (Lorenzo Pisoni and Greg Hadley) are hired to infiltrate a secret location and retrieve military chips containing a large sum of government money. Their plan goes awry when an unexpected political prisoner (Dylan Baker) enters the picture. Bradley Stryker (iZombie, Cold Pursuit), Francesco Pannofino and Becky Ann Baker (Hunters, Freaks and Geeks) co-star in this short film, directed by Brando Benetton and co-written by Brando Benetton and Los Silva.

Nightfire is the fifth student-short production by the French-born writer-director and, as a college thesis project shot on a low budget over two weeks, is highly impressive.  The direction and set production are imposing and respectfully pay homage to the action genre films we all appreciate.  Elements of Bond, Mission: Impossible and Bourne are thrown in for good measure and the emptied Italian streets, where most of the night scenes are set, add the feeling of tension, espionage and anticipated action.

This is an example of how a small budget film does well in delivering a cinematic big-screen experience. With attractive locations, aerial shots, stunts, explosions, and orchestral soundtrack, Nightfire sets itself up to be a short but entertaining and watchable drama. In a similar fashion to some big-budget blockbusters, the plot has holes but the acting and direction will carry you through the very short 45 minutes playtime. Lorenzo Pisoni and Greg Hadley are convincing enough as agents and Dylan Baker (Hunters, The Good Wife, Spider-Man) is always a pleasure to see, despite his accent appearing reminiscent of Dick Van Dyke’s cockney attempts in Mary Poppins.

It’s not the best or most exciting action movie ever but its composition has to be admired and fully respected. Nightfire pays a respectful salute to the action genre and I look forward to seeing more from its young and very talented creators. The thriller debuts on streaming platforms, including Hulu and Amazon, May 1 via Hewes Pictures.

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David Emmanuel Noel

David Emmanuel Noel is an avid blogger, film fanatic, art enthusiast, music lover, and theatergoer. He is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and PR consultant who has been involved in several music events and visual art exhibitions at venues such as the Kennedy Center Washington DC, Bernie Grant Arts Centre London, the Landmark Arts Building New York, and Whole 9 Gallery in Culver City, California. He has worked closely with institutes, professional bodies, and agencies such as the Royal Institute of British Architects, New York Mayor’s Office, CAMBA- the New York-based agency, the NSPCC, and several London Boroughs on projects supporting the environmental and therapeutic benefits of the arts. He is based in London and New York.

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