From the director of the award winning film, Sylvia, comes another story told with emotional precision and artistic flair. Maximus is a collaboration between writer/ director Richard Prendergast and producers, Rachel Prendergast and Max Mason that brings to life the wild and thrilling fantasies of a young girl called India.
A tale rooted in both the most epic of fantasies and the harshest realities; Maximus first throws us into the realms of a medieval battle. The dark shadowy moments of reflection before a brave warrior launches his next attack. Even in the initial seconds of the film, the triumph of the costume and make-up teams is evident. Dramatic performances from the warrior, Maximus (Solly McLeod), his domineering security guard (Earl Ling) and an uncertain officer (Phil Reeve) set the tone with perfection. Yet just as we feel fully absorbed into the scene, we are snatched away to a place that sadly, for many people, is an all too familiar sight; the Children’s Ward of a hospital.
Jodie (Laruen Harris) is looking for her daughter, who appears to have gone off exploring. A kind nurse (Gaynor Fraser) explains she can’t have got far, and promises to find her. Enter India. A young girl with places to be, people to see and stories to tell. Off on an adventure, unbeknownst to her mum, India spies a chap who looks like he might need cheering up. A stressed doctor called Mike (Albert Clogston). Maisie Prendergast really steals the show as the bubbly India, and her interactions with Mike provide much humour and energy to the film.
When we dive back into Maximus’ battle, we take the voice of India with us as a narrator. An epic battle between man and terror ensues. The enemy; a horde of half-beasts with claws and truly nightmare inducing features. The fight scene is a feat in itself. With horses, fire and much more, the attention to detail and the sheer scope of the film is simply astonishing, even more so taking into account the terrible impact Covid-19 had on the schedule.
The warrior Maximus is replaced by a young boy, India’s brother. Yet still he commands the army and carries the weight of his armour as though he really is a 6 foot leader. Cailean Galloway fulfils the role with confidence. When our hero is injured and taken to a magic wizard to be healed, the link between imagination and reality starts to become clear. As the story unfolds, we learn of the real Max and the wizard who saved him. The wizards of our world, or as they are more commonly known – doctors. Mike is one such wizard. And India has a special reason for telling him her story.
The cast and crew have created pure magic, capturing the rich imagination of a child and reflecting their own creative genius in the process. Everything from the cinematography to the story itself is wonderfully executed. The score created by Jack Douglas and Daniel Coe adds immense depth to both halves of the story, subtly changing throughout to reflect the personalities on screen. Nothing has been spared, no corners cut, no compromises made: perfection. Maximus is a stunning tribute to the real life battles that the wizards of reality help us overcome.