Quality Children's Entertainment Family Movie Reviews

Rueful Warrior * New Sci-Fi Short With More Fight Scenes Than You Can Count

Rueful Warrior is a thought-provoking film which focuses on the futility of war and underlines the absurdity of violence and combat. In this film, our heroine – alien soldier Yalalia – finds herself caught up in a conflict of moral and physical standings against a group of soldiers from Earth. Her integrity is tested to the limit as she desperately attempts to maintain peace at all costs. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Brad M. comments, “Rueful Warrior is a new sci-fi short film packed with action. It has more fight scenes and punches thrown than you will be able to count. If you like exciting futuristic productions, you will love this new short film!” See his full review below

Rueful Warrior
By Brad Martin, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

Rueful Warrior is a new sci-fi short film packed with action. It has more fight scenes and punches thrown than you will be able to count. If you like exciting futuristic productions, you will love this new short film!

Yalalia (Michelle Fahrenheim) is sent to Earth from a faraway planet in order to save her people. Her civilization is lacking a vital resource – water. The alien soldier is immediately assumed to be hostile and attacked by Earth’s protectors.

Director Mark Owen giving instructions to his two female leads. Rueful Warrior. Credit: © Samuel Dore
Director Mark Owen giving instructions to his two female leads. Rueful Warrior. Credit: © Samuel Dore

There are a multitude of entertaining aspects to Rueful Warrior, but the best is the fight choreography. Joe Golby, the fight choreographer, has truly created a realistic, yet intriguing sequence of brawling. I enjoyed the variety of styles used in this short film, but would have liked more of a story. At times, I felt as if I was watching more of a fight than a movie.

The main character, Yalalia, helps keep the audience’s eyes glued to the screen with her convincing acting. The manner in which she reacts to the attacks of Earth’s soldiers is everything one I could have wanted from her character. Yalalia’s costume is a spectacular work of art. The similarities between her alien culture and the human culture show how different, yet similar opposing sides of conflict can be. The director, Mark Owen, had a powerful vision for the film in creating a strong female protagonist. I appreciated the way he portrays her character, compared to the other actors. The others could have had better story arcs. It would be interesting to see one of Earth’s soldiers question the other’s decision to attack Yalalia. This might add another layer to the already dramatic conflict.

Actress Michelle Fahrenheim (Yalalia) and director Mark Owen, Rueful Warrior, Credit: © Samuel Dore
Actress Michelle Fahrenheim (Yalalia) and director Mark Owen, Rueful Warrior, Credit: © Samuel Dore

I love the way the short film ends with a quote from Dwight D. Eisenhower, “I hate war, as only a soldier who has lived can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” This helps enforce the main message of the film that society needs to work together. When we fight among ourselves, it leads to pain and suffering for both sides. Parents should be advised about the violence in this film.

I give Rueful Warrior 4 out of 5 stars and recommend for kids 10 through 18. Make sure to check out this short film at the Portobello Film Festival September 13, 2019 or at the Show Low Film Festival October 17 through 20, 2019. 

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