The 716th (2018) Tribeca 2018

There will be a feature version of the 716th, there has to be partly because the short is so good that some studio is going to snap it up, but mostly because the cliffhanger of an ending is such that anyone who sees it is going to demand to know what happens next.

The plot of the film has ships doctor stealing an unarmed shuttle craft to rescue two soldiers left behind on a backwater planet before the last ship leaves. Complications arise of course.

Wickedly funny and beautifully acted, The 716th is an absolute blast. I would have no trouble saying that it is one of the very best of the 50 or so films I saw pre-Tribeca. This is a rip roaring smart ass action adventure that riffs on smart ass space action adventures but smartly doesn’t steal any thunder it simply muscles its way up to the bar and buys a round a round of drinks. The result is a film that makes the audience go from wary glances to best bud bear hugs in the course of 14 minutes.

Credit writer director and star Andrew Bowen who has written himself a megastar making role (assuming the feature gets made) while putting himself into the mix to write and direct a Hollywood blockbuster.

This is the sort of film I really love, one that is not only wonderful on it’s own terms but also one that puts a great filmmaker on my radar. I want to see more films from Bowen.

The 716th is highly recommended. It can be found in the Tribeca shorts block INTO THE VOID. For more information and more importantly for tickets go here