Order of The Red Umbrella Offers Mysteries
by Sadpear, film critic of the Hat Films discord
Order of the Red Umbrella is taking a swing at joining the canon of hotly debated art films this autumn. The film's aesthetics are heavily influenced by the 1970s European cinema that took its cues from Hollywood blockbusters. With a droning soundtrack and curiously generic medieval style music, the film manages to feel both modern and ancient at the same time.
The film presents a high fantasy detective story, with a cryptic and disgruntled protagonist that calls to mind the hardboiled detective of a William Holden picture. The wizard detective spends much of the film in an increasingly frantic search for answers to a mysterious emblem and murders. The film heightens an atmosphere of paranoia with editing choices that insinuate the detective may be responsible for the very murders he is investigating. The story builds to a startling final scene that ultimately leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. It will certainly provide for hours of discussion in film classes and coffee shops for years to come as to what the true meaning of the Red Umbrella is. The notoriously reticent director has not provided any clue, refusing all questions about the plot.
While the characters aren't given much room to grow with the spare script, the performances imbue them with the energy of a stage production dosed with cocaine. Chris Trott delivers a searing performance as the Wizard Detective, growling through his lines at every turn. In a surprise return to the screen after a long absence, Ross Hornby plays the Oracle with his trademark goofy charisma. Eagle eyed viewers will also spot Hornby a second time later in the film, a surprise second performance that underscores his versatile skills. Rising star Alex Smith takes on the role of Believable Lady with aplomb. Smith is rumored to be taking on another fantasy franchise later this year and after this performance audiences will be eager to see more of him.
The film's only weakness is the sometimes curious and baffling framing of shots. It's entirely possible the director is attempting to make an artistic statement with them but in the absence of more information the audience is left to wonder if the film truly wants to make a statement about the natural landscape or if the camera operators were indulging in too many beers during breaks. Perhaps it is just another mystery alongside the red umbrellas that film lovers will have to debate.
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