Directed by Christopher Di Nunzio
Shot in a moody, film noir style, Under the Dark Wing is a combination of crime and supernatural. Three characters intertwine in the gangster-land world of this criminal underbelly: a chicken-wing eating Don called George (David Graziano), an ex-junkie called Johnny (Fiore Leo), and a mysterious woman (Jessy Row) whom Johnny fails to “eliminate” during a hit.
Torn between his ethics and his loyalties to George, Johnny falls into a spiral of despair and looks to his old ways to help him cope. In a powerful drug-taking scene, Under the Dark Wing proves its mettle in delving into the crime genre.
Di Nunzio’s stylistic choices make this a worthwhile watch for fans of short films, in particular for those who enjoy gritty urban fables and character exploration. The odd use of close-up, like when George is eating chicken wings, is a fantastic method of creating dislike for his character, whilst the long, static shot of Johnny preparing to shoot-up is equally as effective, making the viewer feel increasingly uncomfortable as its moral anchor slips into chaos.
Sound is used well, creating a tense atmosphere, in particular the church bells behind Johnny’s drug-taking, and the loud crunching of leaves when a goon (Keith Bennett) approached the mysterious woman.
Arguably, the clichéd mobster (George) is little on the nose, but Graziano still comes across as believable and a decent script elevates his performance above the usual contrived claptrap that passes for modern, urban cinema. Leo is also worthy of mention, in particular in the more dramatic sequences.
The themes of innocence versus purity, and the ambiguity of morality are pulsating throughout the movie, and make it extremely compelling. Very watchable stuff.
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