2037. Rugged soldier Max and weary sculptress Nicky try to sustain a relationship in a bleak totalitarian future plagued by war, nuclear fall-out, and overpopulation. Flashbacks show Max and Nicky's doomed romance throughout the years as things get worse and the world deteriorates around them. Moreover, we also see Max's various harrowing combat experiences which include a nerve-wracking encounter with a band of grotesquely disfigured mutants and a fling with perky nurse Mandy. Writer/director Richard Stanley's low-budget Super 8 short shows off his obvious talent for striking visuals while making for an interesting dry run for Stanley's more flashy and polished debut theatrical feature "Hardware." The basic ingredients for the latter picture are clearly evident here: worn and depressed characters who have given up on hope, streets populated by poor sickly people, an eclectic soundtrack that encompasses everything from blaring rock to melancholy blues, Max's friendship with his more upbeat and chatty pal Shades, and even bitter and profane disc jockey Angry Bob rudely broadcasting grim news over the radio. The images of gloomy rain-streaked city streets are highly reminiscent of "Blade Runner." Greg Copeland's rough, grainy cinematography and crude, but acceptable special effects may lack the glossy slickness of "Hardware," but they get the job done just the same. While its ambition exceeds its grasp to a fair extent and the paltry budget is never completely surmounted (the warbly sound in particular is a tad hard on the ears), this short is nonetheless well worth checking out for all you "Hardware" fans out there.
