The independent circuit is always a unique area of the entertainment industry to explore, as many amazing movies come from indie filmmaking. It is also appealing, considering many experimental projects are created and have satisfactory results. Yet, not all these features are hits; some are misses. There can be appreciation for a film with the effort attempted onscreen but being left cold with the flick as a whole. Sadly, this is the case with beautifully shot but heavily flawed “Distant Thunder,”
“Distant Thunder” is screening at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival
The fear of the end of the world looms over society, particularly because of the writings of astrologer Nostradamus. It seems the end is approaching with a meteorite expected to hit Japan soon. Following the death of their father, three sisters named Ayane, Kanon, and Oto, reunite to reconnect with one another. This turns out to be more awkward than expected, especially for Oto, the youngest and most distant of the siblings. The story jumps back and forth from the past, which shows the childhood connection between Ayane and Kanon growing up to the present showing the trio of leads trying to bond with one another.
On paper, “Distant Thunder” sounds like a compelling character drama. A story of a family trying to bond while the fear of death approaches and with a two and half hour runtime, has the potential to take advantage of its premises for a quiet story of rekindling. Unfortunately, this is not the case here. Much of the runtime follows an unorganized narrative with lowkey sci-fi elements that feel underdeveloped and sometimes out of place. None of the characters are fleshed out enough to care about, and the storytelling is disjointed to a point where it becomes frustrating and confusing to follow. While an atmosphere is created in the movie's location, the emotions fall flat with the people within the picture. The acting is not at all bad, it is actually very good. Akari Takaishi, Tomomi Fukikoshi, and Miharu Tanaka are all talented. They are just given not the strongest material to work with, and the same can be said for the rest of the cast.
The film's narrative may not exactly deliver, but the cinematography is consistently solid from beginning to end. Shot in gorgeous 4k resolution by the director of photography Tomofumi Hasegawa, “Distant Thunder” is a nice-looking feature. The setting, if anything, is the strongest character in the movie, showcasing beautiful seaside Setouchi, with excellent lighting to back it up. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the editing, which is very shoddy. There are attempts for classic scene transition techniques that, while a commendable effort, are very poor in execution which contributes to the story feeling all the more disjointed, topped with a runtime that feels more like unwarranted padding than an effort to develop the characters.
“Distant Thunder” has promising ideas but unfortunately has so much going against it. Its awkward execution and questionable editing hurt the viewing experience and with a runtime that overstays its welcome. No doubt, though, there is still talent on display, especially in the cinematography and the idea of living life to the fullest in the face of impending death. The pieces for a nice puzzle were there. They just were not securely put together.
