PRODUCTION

(1) PLOT OR FILM STRUCTURE

The plot of the film must be arranged in some kind of structure that maintains our attention
and unfolds the story compellingly. I like a film with unpredictable structures or plots that
gets you off-guard.
The plot of your screenplay is basically the sequence of events that acts as the backbone of
your story, and is driven forward by your protagonist’s motivations and actions. The first plot
structure is the three act structure. The First Act: Exposition and introduction to the crucial
story elements. The basics include:
 The First Act: Exposition and introduction to the crucial story elements.
 The Second Act: A problem is defined and confronted as the stakes are raised.
 The Third Act: The problem is solved with a climax and we have reflection.
The second most well-known plot structure would be Freytag’s Five Part Pyramid, which
itself is based on early theories of story from the ancient Greeks. These five parts (sometimes
six) might be familiar to anyone who’s dabbled in literature or art. The basics include:
 Exposition: An introduction of the protagonist(s), antagonist(s), and the stakes.
 Rising Action: A conflict is introduced and the protagonist’s journey begins.
 Climax: The protagonist faces off against the central antagonist/conflict in a battle.
 Falling Action: All the character’s actions are resolved and an outcome is reached.
 Denouement: The conflict is concluded and we see what happens to the characters in
the future.
In the film Mission to Rescue, the plot and film structure is pretty similar to many other films and
as such there is little to no novelty with concerns to that. We are first introduced to our
protagonist, Baraza, who we later find out that he is suffering with a bout of cancer. He and his
team are tasked with rescuing an official and two others who are kidnapped by al Shabaab.
In my perspective, the plot and structure of the film ended up being predictable since it follows
the usual film structures where the hero embarks on a journey, meets his or her conflict, resolves
it nonchalantly and moves on. I prefer the non-linear approach where you can barely tell what
will happen next. There was a point in the film though where I thought that there would be a
glimpse of mutiny within the Simba Squad but it never materialized. This in my opinion would
have added a major plot twist within the story and the structure and would have kept even the
audience captivated to know what would happen if the event came to pass.
I liked the ending because it served to showcase that no matter what you do to cut off the head of
the hydra it will always grow back though such an ending would give few members in the
audience hope for a sequel.
Overall, I liked the story but in real essence there is not that much to write home about as any
experienced filmmaker or moviegoer could tell you the ending in a heartbeat.

(2) CHARACTERS AND PERFORMANCE

If the character is weak, the performance will be unconvincing and even with a solid character,
the actor still has to get the job done. So I would at how both the characters and actors are
convincing.

 Characters
Characters are based on people, and people are multifaceted, with their own hopes, desires, faults
and aspirations, characters shouldn’t be so different. Main characters should be multidimensional
and motive-driven. Only then can an actor authentically embody that character on camera and
deliver a performance that we can relate to.
I liked how some of the characters were set up especially Majid who embodies every single
person disillusioned by false promises and how it affects them in the long run and also how he
had a feeling of dread that his life could end at any point. Another character that I enjoyed was
Wahab who had this aura that he was sort of invincible because he was in this terrorist group.
In essence the personalities in certain characters were very distinctive, compelling, multi-layered,
and unpredictable like when Legion killed Wahab out of the blue or when captain Baraza was
establishing hierarchy within his squad. The major issue that I had with both the protagonist and
antagonist was that they did not have clear and distinct motives. Legion’s motive was a little
childish and as for captain Baraza his motives were predictable and they did not have that high
stakes to make their fight legendary.
 Performance
We should never think to ourselves that the actor is trying to act like someone or something, the
actors should become the character.
Most of the actors managed to bring their characters to life case and point Ibrahim Sultan who
plays Majid, Bilal Mwaura who plays Wahab and the main man himself Melvin Alusa who plays
Captain Baraza. Their performance was hypnotic to say the least and they had an element of
realism that makes it enjoyable to watch them.
They were able to portray distinct and complex characteristics within their characters and exude
them to the point I felt entranced in their performance though some characters were just plain
stereotypes like Legion who is the generic bad guy without good reason.
Overall I loved some of the characters and some of the performances more than others but it was
a good experience seeing different actors and some well-known comedy actors in and action
film.

(3) THE DIALOGUE

The dialogue should augment and elaborate the story that is being told by the action. I would
consider how immersive the dialogue is and how it shapes the plot and characters.
Storytelling
Most dialogue should have a calculated approach to facilitating the story and revealing the
characters. That doesn’t mean to have “talking heads” tell us exactly what’s happening on-
screen. In fact, that’s worse than having no dialogue at all.
Context
Similar to Plausibility, Dialogue is written in the correct context if it makes sense in the film’s
universe. If we’re set in 1776 like The Patriot, it would probably be wise if the dialogue
accurately represented the way people spoke back then. In fictional films, the dialogue should
accurately relate to the story, setting and characters. Contrast that with the use of “shock and
awe” dialogue, where actors deviate from their character and say something ridiculous, “pop-
culture” or socio-political, in the attempt to get a chuckle or further a purpose unrelated to the
film.
In the film Mission to Rescue, some of the dialogue felt forced and contrived especially the scene
where Captain Baraza and his troupe are being given intelligence by the IT guy. The dialogue
there did not feel at all natural and felt like a recitation of lines rather than embodying how the
character would say those things. At other scenes most of the dialogue lacked a bit of charisma
that brings you in and lets you hang on every word that the character is saying. I particularly like
the dialogue of Majid as it seems more authentic and has a feel and touch of believability
especially the scene where he is begging the terrorists not to kill the man that gave him a place to
stay.
In other instances, some of the dialogue did not feel like something the characters would say,
case and point, most of Challo’s dialogue. The confrontation between him and his fellow soldier
would not happen in any military unit as they are a tight knit group and something as trivial as
being of the same religion as your enemies does not mean an inside job and it felt a little
farfetched. There is also a scene where he confronts his captain. This is highly unlikely to happen
in real life as they are of different ranks and as such he must respect his captain’s orders whether
sweet or sour.
I also felt that the dialogue was not that powerful as well because it barely gave me anything to
remember as I left the theater. Good or memorable dialogue stays with you no matter when or
where. At times the delivery of the dialogue was perfect and at other times it felt like a drag for
example when the bomb expert is trying to detonate the bomb from Majid and he tells Majid to
speak a familiar language or shut up, I felt the delivery was a bit wanting as he barely gave time
to build up to the joke.
Overall, the dialogue plays out well between each and every specific character. Not to mention
that some characters’ dialogue were able to match who they were in the film and also the tone
and pacing of the film. The dialogue was to a minimum and they greatly avoided the overuse of
exposition and unnecessary character banter.

(4) THE DIRECTING

Having a unified vision as a director is vital to the film’s success. So I would focus on how the
director chose to tell the story, the pacing and speed of the film and whether the director created
a captivating conflict.
Like a painter, composer, or an architect, directors have their own style. They have their own
unique creative process. For Sir Alfred Hitchcock, it was the way he utilized suspense that
created his special vision. Whatever it may be, it should translate on-screen. It will help solidify
the story under one banner we can identify. It can be difficult to follow a movie where the
director’s vision is confusing or convoluted.
Movies are a form of storytelling, there are a million different ways to tell a story. But a movie
should be so well told, so well-crafted, that the story can’t be told any other way. There should
be zero mistakes. Not one misspoken line, not even a single loose end in the plotline. From
beginning to end, our disbelief has been suspended. Every element of the Cinema Scale was
executed to perfection. Like Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, the movie should represent the total
and complete vision for the concept that should never be touched. Executing a film to its fullest
potential means we should never walk away thinking of any opportunities the movie missed.
When it comes to the Mission to Rescue film, I liked how the director chose to tell the story since
it was a very unorthodox film to do in our fledgling film industry. The director went all out to
bring some realism in the action sequences giving hope to upcoming filmmakers that they can
achieve their dreams as well. The way the director paced the film was a little alright, though I felt
that some scenes were unnecessary like the confrontation between Challo and his comrade as it
barely advances the plot in any way. As such the pacing of the film was neither too fast nor too
slow but yet the movie manages to keep you captivated throughout.
I have not managed to watch an of Gilbert Lukalia’s previous films and I cannot draw a
conclusion of whether he has a trademark style that he uses as his own or whether the film is
comparable to any of his previous works. The way that he directed the storytelling of the film
was not really complex but rather straightforward as in the end it has a predictable storyline
where the protagonist always wins and learns little to nothing from his or her antagonist.
The conflict that the director created was not that much eye-catching or captivating in my
opinion because the motives of both the antagonist and protagonist seem underdeveloped
because we are not shown in detail why captain Baraza decided to join the army whilst as for
Legion, trying to kill people because your mother died from government laxity is nothing to go
on about. The conflict between the protagonist and antagonist does not have that build up that the
audience always expects not to mention the ending of the film makes it seem like they did
nothing to stop ‘Legion’.

POST PRODUCTION

(1) THE CINEMATOGRAPHY

I would look at the shot selection, camera work, the angles, to ensure that all of it should mesh
together and create a uniform language that is easy for my eyes to follow.
We shouldn’t be jarred out of the movie experience because of an odd looking frame or angle
that doesn’t quite fit right. One should be as creative with the cinematography as he or she would
like, just to make sure that we can follow along.
What we see inside the frame is obviously an important aspect of cinematography. Each element
of the shot has a role to play. Lighting tells us how to feel, setting tells us where we are and
wardrobe tells us who the characters are. The way these three components fit together are an
important part of the film’s visual language and its overall aesthetic.
Mission to Rescue had some amazing cinematography especially the establishing shots. The way
it was done was so hypnotic and kept my eyes glued to the screen to see each and every shot that
they had. By far I personally think that it was the best part of the film because the way the scenes
were showcased could mitigate any disasters within the film.
The lighting within the film was a bit mixed with some scenes well lit whilst others were not that
well lit which can easily disorient the audience. And in some scenes there were tones set within
them whilst in other scenes they lacked tones. For example, most interior day scenes had an
orange tone while exterior scenes lacked particular discerning tones and I could not decipher
what to think about it.
When it comes to the setting of the film, the location did a wonderful job as there was absolute
realism when it comes to the cinematographic aspect. In another aspect, the shots were not used
in a unique way to tell or convey the story. For example, most of the shots were similar to many
action films from Hollywood to Bollywood and they did not try something unconventional or
daring. the action was coherently shot and the audience could easily follow what was going on
in the film irrespective of whether they took a little break or not. The camera movements were
also not that new or unique but I liked the use of static shots mainly because they convey
calmness and contemplation, or a feeling of being secure, fixed, or trapped which went well with
how the characters were framed within each and every shot.
All that I can say about the cinematography was that it was exceptional and it was a breath of
fresh air especially compared to most of the works that we boast of locally not to mention that an
action film with such perfect cinematography is really something great and simply nothing short
of magical.

(2) THE EDITING AND VISUAL EFFECTS

The editing maintains attention and conveys the tone. The visual and special effects are
seamlessly integrated. I would look as to whether the editing was clean or choppy and consistent.
Tone is easily shaped by the pace and choice of the edits. The tone is very important in
expressing what the movie is trying to communicate to the audience. Like an electrical
conductor, all of the cinematic elements are relayed and transmitted through the editing, onto the
screen.
Editor Verna Fields created a blockbuster thriller with her suspense building work on Jaws.
Imagine that instead of building the anticipation by having the shark relatively unseen until the
third act, we saw the entire shark from the beginning…the movie’s iconic horror tone would
have been lost, it would have been just another action thriller and nobody would’ve been afraid
to go to the beach.
Both visual effects (VFX) and special effects (SFX), everything from live-action animation, to
dynamite explosions on a controlled set, should blend in seamlessly. Visual effects, which are
generated outside the live action, and special effects, tangible effects often done on set or
location, are very different in nature.
Mission to Rescue had the most believable special effects of any African film that I have seen
thus far. From the car explosion to the bullets wheezing through each gunfight scene the editing
department really did some solid job. The effects in the film were well balanced in the sense that
they were not too overboard and not too subtle and this made them integrate well with the films
tone and purpose of the story.
The film’s editing was clean but there were very little editing techniques or styles that the editor
used and as such it became like clockwork where they just cut and connect each scene without
thinking of how to embellish the film through editing and the worst part is that it is an action film
and they could try a whole lot of styles and techniques like the quick edit for comedic effect or
the Spielberg zoom to showcase Baraza’s queasiness.
The flow of the editing was consistent and any audience member could follow it easily without
any hindrance. When it comes to the transitions between each and every scene, there was also
nothing new to write home about and it just felt like a cut from scene to scene without anything
to give the transitions an edge or spice on them.
Overall, I personally did not mind the editing but they should at least have tried different editing
techniques or styles to give future editors a blueprint or a standard to work with when they work
on future action films.

(3) THE SOUND/ MUSIC AND THE SCORE

The music or score should support the mood of the movie and should not be too distracting or
too subtle.
The music should be in harmony with the story. The movie should use motifs that coincide with
characters, settings and plot points to help express their nature. Music should be compatible with
the mood of its corresponding scene. And the main musical themes should be memorable and
evoke the film’s overarching sentiment. These are not simple tasks for film scorers to
accomplish, but if these aspects are incorporated, the result will bring out the movie’s soul and
connect with ours.
Good sound mixing and mastering is essential to keeping us immersed and entertained. An
authentic sound design is also a significant requirement. If we can close our eyes and still feel
like we’re there, it’s going to make the movie experience much more genuine and believable.
The music score and sound of the film was nice in the sense that it did not hinder the dialogue
between the characters and that at times it accentuated the mood and tone of the film as it used
fast paced and exhilarating scores which suits the genre of the film splendidly. All in all, the
music scoring and the soundtrack that the sound department selected was suitable in some scenes
though in other scenes it felt a bit misplaced and over the top at times. This created a feeling of
uneasiness to me because they chose not to use silence in some parts of the film especially the
establishing shots of the film. This is the major drawback that the sound in the film has. It
overused the scores and soundtracks excessively to the point of exhaustion in both the film and
to the audience as well.
At some point the sound of the film reached a point where it was too distracting instead of being
subtle. As mentioned above, the film failed to use silence or just the ambience of the setting of
the environment to greater effect. Each and almost every scene had a score and it felt jarring and
at certain points really annoying because even some reaction shots had music or sound effects.
To top it all off, is that it did not add to the production and at times it did not work well with the
script because it became heavily used and solely relied upon as the dramatic effect of the film
instead of the action and the characters.
The scores were mostly timed well but it does not subtract from the fact that the film used sound
tracks and scores a little bit too much. Overall I would say that the film failed terribly in this area
and that they should have relied a bit on silence or ambient noise to slowly build up tension,
suspense and climax.

THE FILM

THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE OR THE ‘IT’ FACTOR

This basically looks at something about the film that elevates it into uncharted territory and earns
its own special place in our hearts especially when it is original, innovative and pioneering.
A movie is one-of-a-kind when it is original, innovative and pioneering. There’s no other movie
like it. It has something about the film that makes it unique. The story could be untold and
original. The acting or cinematography is innovative. Or maybe the editing and visual effects are
pioneering, much like Avatar was when it hit the big screen. Maybe it’s all the elements that
make the movie one-of-a-kind.
A movie goes above and beyond the status quo, even above the best of the best, by being
transcendent. A movie is transcendent when:
 It is beyond comprehension, you can’t explain why you love it, you just do;
 It is beyond the limits of ordinary experience, after watching it you feel enlightened and
alive, like you’re hovering two inches above the ground and;
 It is universally applicable or significant, it makes you feel more connected to your
existence and the existence of others.
When a movie embodies these three things and becomes transcendent, it becomes more than just
a movie, it leaves an imprint on our being.
Mission to Rescue is the first of its kind in the local scene and I felt so happy when I got to watch
it. I enjoyed watching every bit of it despite its drawbacks and all. It was fun, engaging, thrilling
and something I would highly recommend to anyone and everyone.
First things first, it exceeded my expectations though I felt they should have added some more
action and explosion into it since every good bit of it ended up in the trailer and as such those
who expected more were sourly disappointed. The action sequences were one of a kind and the
effects were mind blowing to the extent that I felt that the film set the standard for up and
coming and also future films. The scenery and cinematography were captivating and
mesmerizing and they kept me glued to the scene throughout the film and stand as a solid reason
to watch the film over and over again.
With Hollywood, Bollywood and other films creeping into each and everyone’s screens, I cannot
honestly say that the film gave me an extraordinary feeling but it stands out, personally, as the
greatest Kenyan film as of now and hopefully it shall be surpassed in the near future.
Thirdly I can say without hyperbole that the film can make it globally though it can hit a snug
mainly due some drawbacks such as sound and characters. But all in all the film was superb and
mind blowing to me.