Midlands Review of Patriot
midlandsmovies • September 11, 2021
Patriot
Directed by Idriss Assoumanou
2021
How can there be compassion in a world full of so much hate is the question asked in a new West Midlands drama from local director Idriss Assoumanou.
The filmmaker begins his 20 minute short with the sound of a crowd singing God Save the Queen with nationalism and identity being themes that permeate the story we are to be told.
We are introduced to a young man (an introspective Isaac Beechey) who is watching Britain First videos on his phone in the park. The films shows accessing these sort of extremist opinions can be as simple and easy as watching online. But the film also reflects how these seemingly small actions lead can lead to far larger and more dangerous views. And further down the line, it goes beyond extreme language into real-life brutality.
After draping himself in an England flag and embarking on a bus, he stares out the window watching the Asian community around him with a sense of resentment and anger.
After receiving a call he meets his friend (Corey Thompson) and together they attack an Asian man (Shaiek Ahmed Rana) in an underpass and film their violent assault on a mobile phone. Again, we see the permeation of social media and menace of online radicalism whilst they watch the footage back in amusement.
The film very much concerns itself with race relations and national identity. It also builds upon the themes of one of the director’s last films In the Midst which also looked at extremism. But it also explores the notion of image and appearance. How people “look” – whether racially, culturally, amongst their peers or on social media – is alluded to in almost every scene.
The boys then meet up with a more senior local hard-man (a frightening Matt Fearnley) and we discover that the incident forms part of an initiation into a larger squad. The older man even encourages the two friends to be violent towards each other showing how outward aggression even forms a big part of their internal group.
The technical elements are great with sweeping camera shots, emotional close ups and clear editing to get the subject matter, and its deeper connotations, across to the audience.
The great script by A R Ugas sees the use of phrases like “cause”, “the soldier is out of the barracks”, “rank” and “enemy” scattered throughout - with the racist group using military terms to make their actions seem like a symbolic war.
The story continues as we find out their friend Michael (Josef Hyland) is to be released from prison and they meet in a playground – ironic given their immature and puerile view on the world. Despite Michael saying he was originally consumed by revenge, he is in fact suspected by the others of being an informant as it’s revealed his 15-year sentence became just 3 before his release.
The film concludes with a number of surprising twists. I won’t spoil them here but they really help make the somewhat familiar character types and narrative go in fascinating new directions. Less up my street was the use a strong orchestral score which, although powerful, felt overused. The final 5 minutes of the film, right up until the credits, seems like the whole orchestral suite was played in full.
A slice of silence may have allowed the audience to breathe when so many dramatic beats come to a head. However there is a bit of respite at the end which delivers a show of mercy to offer some hope in an turbulent world.
In the end though, Patriot is another strong showing from one of the West Midlands’ best directors. Assoumanou has a strong voice with a lot to say about the current state of the UK and gives individual stories their place amongst larger societal issues.
With themes of radicalisation, retaliation and redemption, Patriot delivers an unflinching look at the terrible consequences of radical violence – both physical and psychological. Yet against this horrifying problem, the film’s powerful ending waves a flag for even the smallest of chances for compassion and healing.
Michael Sales
UNCANNY Directed by Liam Banks 2025 Superfreak Media Liam Banks follows up the excellent Run For Your Life! ( review here ) with a short, sharp horror experience that takes influence from the glut of uncanny, ‘imposter’ horror content across YouTube and gaming currently. James Podmore plays Jordan, a successful singleton who is looking for love on an online dating platform. After a brief, comical interaction with one lady (played by Run For Your Life! lead Rosie Frost), he connects with Amanda (Racheal Caulton). However, there is something clearly very wrong with Amanda, especially when she finally turns her camera on to reveal a distorted, not quite human façade. Podmore is great as the confused lead, recognising that something is clearly wrong, but also wanting to give his match the benefit of the doubt. And the script kicks him into action just before he risks becoming a stereotypical horror victim. Similarly, Caulton manages to shine through the layers of special effects and voice manipulation, proving she’s just as effective an antagonist, as she is horror victim. Banks, who also co-handled script duties with Charlie Brentnall, does an excellent job with the effects here. Playing it safe by keeping Caulton in low light for the most part, the effects on her face look great, even as the film quickly shifts to more of a home invasion style piece. There are also some neat little ‘did you see that?’ moments, with Amanda placed in the background of scenes; standing out just enough to heighten that uncanny feeling, only occasionally marred by a too-obvious sound design that fills the silence with stingers to make the scares obvious. Overall, it’s an excellent short. One that continues the streak of high-quality horror productions that Superfreak Media has been delivering. At just 20 minutes, there’s no fat to trim here, delivering a genuinely tense, uncomfortable experience that will keep the Halloween vibes coming. 3.5 / 5 Matthew Tilt Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tiltmatthew90/ Watch the full short for free on YouTube below:
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