Tunnel Burner. A Review.

Watch the film here: https://vimeo.com/121138972

   Making your first film is a bit like your first kiss. You spend a lot of time thinking about what it’s going to be like, it’s exciting and daunting, it’s over all too quickly, and it happens in a bus shelter. Okay that last part might just be me. Anyway, making your first film is a fantastic experience where you get to try out new things and experiment, Jose Sherwood-Gonzales managed to do this as well as make a personal film with heaps of character - not bad for a first timer!

   Tunnel Burner follows its central protagonist as he drifts through life, with the power to create portals he exists in a kind of limbo world where he doesn’t belong in the present yet isn’t ready to move on to his future. As the Tunnel Burner watches the word from the safety of his room, numbing his senses with drugs, he is about to get a rude awakening from a mysterious figure.

   Jose put an awful lot of planning into his first film, with both extensive location scouting and storyboarding. This is evident in the style of the film, he has managed to find unique and interesting shots all across one main location. Jose and his cinematography team have gone out of their way to make each shot as cinematic as possible, highlighting the already stunning art deco Brotherton Library. Of course on a student film there are times when aesthetic must be sacrificed in the name of a convenient location or time constraints, and so Tunnel Burner has a few shots that seem a little rough around the edges, however in general the film achieves a production value far beyond its meagre means. 

   Craig Arthur’s central performance is commendable, he manages to build his character just through physicality and facial expressions. Asked to carry much of the film by himself, and without dialogue, Craig rises to the challenge; panicked glances over the shoulder give a sense of paranoia, while looks of longing into the camera suggest deeper feelings. While Craig does his best, he is a little short served by the script. Of course for a first film, adding dialogue is just an extra complication - especially when filming in a library! With that said, if Jose ever decides to expand upon this character, it would be nice to see Craig be given more to do. 

   Tunnel Burner is more than just an excuse for a director to jump into filmmaking, it is also a personal film which seeks to examine the anxiety many people feel when the time comes to move one, and they aren’t ready. Jose lets his cinematography speak for itself, the narrow lanes of the library and the dark, brooding tones deliberately create a sense of detachment, supporting the message which the director sought to send. At times the film can be difficult to follow, the introduction of portals adds a surreal element which when added to the lack of dialogue means that the message gets a bit lost amidst the action. The portals themselves, however, are very well pulled off. Jose was determined from the outset that he would use a practical effect rather than cgi, and the end result is impressive. The music and sound editing are also superb, the score written specifically for the film creates a tense atmosphere - giving Tunnel Burner a sense of pace. Where the direction, cinematography, performance, and sounds all combine at their best, Tunnel Burner is remarkably polished for a student filmmaker’s first feature.

   This review has referenced several times that Tunnel Burner is Jose’s first film, and I mean this in no way to be patronising. Genuinely it is an impressive debut, in which the director has made an admirable attempt to realise his vision. Jose made effective use of all the resources at his disposal, including a great deal of planning and preparation on his part, and the end result is a film of which he should be proud. 

WHO: Craig Arthur. He behaves like a pro.

WHAT: The Tunnel Burner smoking shot, really well done.

WHY: A lot of hard work and passion went into this one, it deserves a watch.

WHEN: If you’re in the library working hard and need a 5 minute break.