Festival Focus - Beats
Beats is an incredibly hard-hitting tragedy which draws from the real life tragic terrorist attacks that have befallen multiple entertainment venues in the past decade. Through a masterfully crafted story and well written characters, we become almost instantly attached to the fun and relatable siblings Max and Alexa. Which leads us to sympathise with both characters, when we are presented with a dual story of the victim of a terrorist attack and their family. Of Max who has to play dead amongst those who have already passed and hide from the gunmen in a compact storage room. And of Alexa who races to the club, powerless but determined to save her brother. Beats presents an emotionally charged story that is made ever more heart-breaking by its realism and its reflections on current events.
The film is also enhanced by brilliant cinematography that adds further realism and also helps convey the emotions of characters clearly. Lighting plays a great part in illustrating the characters feelings, the bright blue light initially represents a certain coolness and haziness you would feel in a club, but suddenly shifts to a representation of fear when the terrorist attack begins. The red lighting of the store room only emphasising the danger Max is in. The shakiness of camera also highlights Max’s inability to think and uncertainty as he tries to find safety. Indeed, Beats is a extremely well crafted film which provides its audience with a tough yet compelling story that has been the reality for so many people.
