Saturday 17 October 2009

The Kirkie (2009)

Director: James Krieg
Star: Jason Philip Thompson
This scifi comedy short wears its influences on its sleeve. It's about three die hard scifi fans on their way to a convention. They're so die hard that they don't interact with anyone outside the fan community; the suggestion is that they wouldn't know how to. Drew is dressed in a full Imperial Stormtrooper costume. E J is Tron. Jeff, however, hasn't dressed up in a costume at all, though he is wearing an X-Men collectible. The key is that Jeff is a geek in the good ways while trying not to be a geek in the bad ways. Unlike his friends, he has the possibility of surviving in the real world. At least he thinks so and he soon gets the opportunity to find out.

What makes this so great, beyond being utterly accurate, is that it revels in its geekiness. Writer/director James Krieg knows his stuff and really nails the genre, not just Star Trek but the whole gamut, from the sweep to the nuance. He even persuaded Bill Mumy from Lost in Space to make a guest appearance as a bartender, doing a Star Wars homage in the process. The unknown cast live up to the concept too, especially Jason Philip Thompson who gets most of the screen time. He does a great Kirk accent and fills the great man's shoes in a homage to classic Star Trek fight scenes. He doesn't get the best line though, which goes to Drew: 'Don't make me pee. I'll electrocute myself.' How can you go wrong with a line like that?

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