Sands of Purgatory

Sands of Purgatory is a riveting, yet slightly inconsistent, dystopian action film which merges the mythic with contemporary concerns. Much like Mad Max, the film opens with a short explanatory monologue about the baron landscapes our heroes now inhabit, the result of global warming. The filmmakers take these ideas and place the characters in what can only be described as a Dune-inspired battling scenario. But this film – while it occasionally misses the mark – is much more than its influences and does some interesting things with its cinematic conceit.

“In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a vengeful wanderer attempts to track down the cult who killed her partner” is the IMDB synopsis for the film; and yet, it unfortunately feels a lot more complicated than that. This critic has not found evidence of Sands of Purgatory being a proof-of-concept short – which is quite confusing. The concept feels perfectly suited to a feature. And based on the tone and pacing of this short picture, one would think that this was made to demonstrate just how much these passionate filmmakers can do on a low budget. There’s an interesting narrative to be explored, as well as stylistic flourishes, so all that is lacking is that slightly bigger budget.

One aspect which unfortunately reveals its budget is the combat sequences. They are slightly hit-or-miss but mostly hit! You rarely see swordfights in low-budget movies – the main reason being that they’re so practically challenging to pull off. So, it’s admirable that this film embarks so wholeheartedly on this venture, even when it looks a little iffy. For the most part, it’s exciting! -- and the seemingly lightweight camera really gets in on the action. But to make it truly seamless would require trained stunt people and extensive technical coordination.

Its overall look and feel is strong. There’s a subjective, shaky feel at play here which works best at its most kinetic and frantic; worst, though, at its most static. The use of digital warp-stabilisation is only occasionally distracting, but due to the extreme nature of the visuals – with its often wide lenses and deep depth of field – there's almost something suitably maximalist about it. What’s really lovely is the colour grade, which manages to be both subtle and stylish.

None of the real immersion, however, could have been achieved without this film’s most impressive characteristic: the locations and their cinematic implementation. Every shot showcases utterly awe-inspiring surroundings. The film was shot entirely in Guernsey, with the filmmakers apparently having a fair amount of freedom to shoot in important historic sites. The results are quite simply spectacular. We have massive industrial areas; beaches scattered with interesting wartime implements; and even what appears to be a genuine castle for the final almighty set-piece.

This film benefits from feeling like such a passionate, collaborative effort from everyone involved; the kind of production which you can tell was a hoot to be part of. This tale of retribution is thoroughly entertaining and, despite its couple shortcomings, manages to offer the audience some real spectacle and characters to invest in.