Action-packed comedy/ drama Wrath of the Viper Sniper comes in hot from seasoned indie writer and director Clay Moffatt. His witty and fast paced writing proves to be a good foundation for this secret agent sci-fi adventure.
Moffatt packs a huge amount into 60 minutes of screen-time. He never lets a scene stagnate, which is definitely an important skill for independent features. This adventure begins with young agents in training Cargoboy (Daniel Main) and Pocketman (Jeremy Behie). While they are still only in training, the pair are getting somewhat big for their boots and enjoy flexing their various secret agent skills. As with any good duo, there’s the one who takes everything a bit too seriously, and the one who is very laid back and relaxed. Regardless of their differences, the two boys are talented, which is proved by their first encounter with a villainous fiend called Queen Clown (Elizabeth Selby). Here we are introduced to some of the great fight chorography that can be expected to be seen throughout the film. Not only are the fights entertainingly executed and carried out with great conviction, the sound editing that accompanies this scene is also extremely impressive. It gives the scenes a cinematic quality typically associated with much larger productions. Following on from this, Moffatt’s use of special effects elevates the sci-fi/ action elements of the narrative to new levels. These elements can really make a film stand out as amateur, but Moffatt’s improve his narrative no end, opening up new avenues for creative expression.
While the young agents are getting on with their training, having fun and getting into mischief, a great threat is developing. This threat is the sharpest sharpshooter in this timeline (and all other timelines), and his name is the Viper Sniper. Rumours that the Viper Sniper is Pocketman’s dad fly around the school, and Pocketman has no idea what to make of these accusations. It turns out the truth is much stranger than fiction.
Pocketman and the Viper Sniper have a showdown. The mighty Viper Sniper has the biggest pistol I’ve ever seen (not a euphemism). The narrative is complexly designed, containing multiple timelines and dimensions – one of the senior agents, Jay, has been trying for years to construct the perfect timeline, hopping backwards and forwards for decades. Unfortunately, it seems there is only one way to save the world from the Viper Sniper. A sacrifice must be made.
With great comedy elements from Main and Behie, and other comedic elements woven into the script, the film make me laugh out loud several times. The mix of sci-fi and ironic humour works well. Another very high point of the film is the original soundtrack by Stav Drieman, which complements the film throughout. Overall, The Wrath of the Viper Sniper is an all-round enjoyable film that is a credit to the writing, directing and editing skills of Clay Moffatt.
Watch the trailer below!