Watch out Jamaica! A new kind of hero is coming and you can get to watch him in the 15 minute short film pilot called “Enhanced”. Directed by Joshua Paul, the story follows a masked vigilante who stops the kidnapping of a defenseless school girl, Shari, played by the charming and innocent-looking Melissa Gooden.
Shot in Jamaica by a Jamaican crew with Jamaican actors, the movie premiered at the University of the West Indies in front of a crowd of over 200 people. Present were the Film Commissioner Renee Robinson and filmmakers Robin Chin and Kyle Chin, among others. The film shows off professional, crowd-thrilling martial arts fight scenes choreographed by Lamardo Christopher and Kevin Jackson. The high kicking action between the vigilante (L. Christopher) and two thugs (K. Jackson and the other played by the serious but very comedic Fitzroy Walters) left a resounding impression as it is a genre of filmmaking not often seen from the country.
A refreshing change from the typical “shoot em up” thug movies we are accustomed to, “Enhanced” tackles a prevailing topic in our society- the safety of our children in our communities. It also looks at the need for their awareness when on the road between school and home as well as the fantasy concept of who is to save them if things go wrong. In this case, a young acrobatic hero comes to the rescue but at a harmful cost to himself.
With desires to become Jamaica’s first action based super hero series, the film has been accepted and screened at the “Urban Action Film Festival” in New York at an HBO red carpet event where it competed against other international action films and was nominated for best short film. Though it did not win, it pulled a lot of interest from the audience who were excited to see such a film coming out of the Caribbean. Since then it has screened at the Liguanea Club and New Wave Lounge on Mannings Hill Road in Jamaica. It has landed articles in the Jamaica Observer, interviews on www.reggaetoreggae.com and TVJ's Smile Jamaica. It will be further screened in Jamaica to gain more exposure to wider audiences for the support it needs to build its fan base and impress investors. If you want to check it out, follow @enhancedja on instagram, twitter and facebook at #enhancedja for more information regarding future screening dates and series development.
