REVIEW: Ink (2009)

It’s a $250,000 independent production with a diminutive title but a masterfully executed effort as grand and inspiring as the Rocky Mountain landscape that dominates the state it was made in. Shot entirely in Colorado, INK is a highly creative, poignant and genre-bending film from the husband and wife team of writer-director Jamin Winans and producer Kiowa Winans that is part morality fable, psychological drama, and fantasy actioner. It possesses all the elements of a first-rate production with original and arresting imagery, excellent atmospheric scoring, an intriguing and well structured plot that only improves as the film progresses, fine acting from the entire cast, exceptional martial arts action that serves the story, and a sophisticated presentation far exceeding the constraints of the film’s limited resources. I can say with no reservations that INK is the best action-oriented indie movie of 2009 and quite possibly the decade.

While the film easily works on the surface as artsy genre entertainment, at its core INK is a high-concept parable about the value of family bonds, humility and redemption. The genius of it is that all of the visual flair, quirky characters, non-linear storytelling, and action help rather than hinder or distract from the core message even in the early stages where it may take a while for the viewer to find their bearings.

INK is built around a concept that could be likened to spiritual warfare. What would it be like if the nightmares and fears brought on by seemingly imaginary bogeymen lurking in shadows were only one side of an eternal struggle between light and darkness in a metaphysical realm that mirrors our own yet exists in its own time and space continuum? What if for every bogeyman who prayed on our fears there was a guardian, a Storyteller who fought to bring us a sense of hope and peace through good dreams?

In INK this unearthly struggle invades reality as a ragged, long-nosed creature slips into eight-year-old Emma’s room and carries away her soul, despite the best efforts of a band of fighting Storytellers to stop him. In life, Emma slips into a coma while in this metaverse she is forced to journey with this pathetic, scarred monster known only as Ink as he begins a dark quest to deliver her to the bogeymen, called Incubi. Along the way, a Storyteller intervenes and is taken hostage by Ink.

Back in the real world, Emma’s father, John (Chris Kelly), is a deeply troubled man with a history of drug addition. He is haunted by the shame of growing up on welfare, the recent death of his wife and the subsequent loss of custody of Emma to his in-laws. Now driven to distraction by the lure of power and prestige as a corporate executive with a multi-million-dollar deal at stake, John learns of his daughter’s coma and begins to question his priorities.

Meanwhile, several Storytellers led by Allel (Jennifer Batter) are joined by Jacob (Jeremy Make), a wise-cracking and rambling blind Pathfinder who is gifted with the ability to sense the pulse or beat of the universe and use it to affect change in the real world. Together they set out on a mission to rescue John from the destructive influence of Incubi and help him find his way back to Emma’s side.

Yet ultimately, the fate of Emma and her father rests with Ink. His desire to have his scars erased and become one of the Incubi gradually comes into conflict with growing empathy for his two prisoners and understanding of the true nature of his role in this conflict. Regardless of what he ultimately chooses to do, the Incubi have no intention of letting either Emma or her father slip through their grasp and this leads to a fierce battle with the Storytellers who fight desperately to buy time for Emma and her father to be reunited in life.

The entire film is anchored by a phenomenal performance from cute child actress Quinn Hunchar as Emma. I don’t know how anyone gets a performance like that out of such a young person. She literally carries the scenes she is in. This helps tremendously in getting the film to hit all of the right emotional notes, particularly at the end. I rarely review movies that I could truly describe as heartwarming but this is one of them. If the end of this film doesn’t make you want to cry and cheer at the same time then I don’t know what to say. If not for the infrequent and unnecessary use of profanity and the moderate violence that may be deemed as inappropriate for young children, I would say this is the perfect family genre movie.

The other standout performance is from Jeremy Make as Jacob, largely because his character is so eccentric. Arguably, his comical dialogue is a little over-the-top but it provides balance to the other seriousness and reserve exhibited by the remaining cast. Really, the casting all around is perfect for this film and that’s pretty impressive given that everyone was cast locally.

Two of the film’s main female cast members deserve mention not only for their acting but also their fighting performance. The gorgeous Jessica Duffy plays Ink’s Storyteller captive. She has the killer combination of looks, acting ability, authority, and sultry voice that could give someone like Diane Lane a run for her money. She has one fight sequence against Ink. While Ink aggressively wields what look like twin kukri knives, she uses defensive, Aikido-style throws. It’s a very appropriate match-up of disparate fighting styles that accentuate the character of each combatant.

The most prominent Storyteller is Allel, played by Jennifer Batter. Early on, Allel takes a big sisterly liking to Emma and becomes a leading force in her defense. She also is the closet thing to a fighting hero that the film possesses. Allel carries, strapped to her back, what could be described as a thick Escrima stick which she uses in battle. While not performing any astounding moves, Batter is obviously well trained for her fight sequences and performs well. It’s hard to identify her fighting style due to the tight editing and jerky camera work but that’s not to say it looks bad.

Fight training and sequences were overseen by Brian Taylor with assistance from Eli Worsencroft. Both men are members of Hybrid Free Running, a parkour association in Colorado. Taylor’s love of free-running comes through in a number of action sequences where individuals rocket off walls, dive off a balcony or crash through a window. The actual fight choreography is surprisingly sophisticated and yet understated.

All of the action is very much reined in by Winans’ direction and editing. That is to say, he clearly had a very specific idea of how he wanted to present the fighting because it flows very well with the rest of the narrative. Normally, I would be a little put off by the quick cuts, jerky camera movements, and color filters that all obscure some of what’s going on but it all acts as a reminder that these battles are not being fought in the real world. Nor are they meant to be showpieces. Characters are fighting out of necessity, not to fill time.

The film has to be seen and heard to be appreciated. I could describe a lot of things but it wouldn’t do any of it justice. It is enough to say that Winans has a fantastic artistic eye and ear that could be favorably compared to the likes of Terry Gilliam, David Lynch and Jean-Pierre Jeaunet. The depiction of Incubi as emotionless conformists with their contorted faces projected onto large screens dangling in front of their heads is iconic and will undoubtedly stay with me for years. Jamin Winans electronic score is a fittingly addition that adds to the film’s substantial atmosphere.

INK is a brilliant film that manages to bring many different genre conventions together into a fresh and original story that remains character-driven, meaningful and touching. With few resources, Jamin and Kiowa Winans have proven what diverse, resourceful talented filmmakers can still achieve. INK is more than just an entertaining film, it’s an inspiration that should provide other independent filmmakers with resolve to raise their game and see their passion projects through.

INK is now available for purchase and rental on DVD and Blu-ray from IndieBLITZ. It’s also available as a VOD download on Netflix. It was leaked online several months prior to release and has since generated over 400,000 torrent downloads. Because the film was privately funded and has not been picked up by a major distributor, the makers are hoping that people who have already seen the film without paying for it will help them raise money to pay off debts by making a contribution directly through their web site at Double Edge Films.