An ambitious undertaking not only captivates the people involved in it but also those who watch this meticulously crafted piece of work come together. Witnessing Chandler Balli direct Death After Dusk definitely serves this purpose. The film is a complex love story dedicated to all things western with unexpected plot developments that will keep viewers at the edge of their seats.
Death After Dusk is set in 1899 and revolves around William Cooper played by Sammy Wilson, a sheriff who is on a man hunt for a serial killer called The Buck Creek Killer in the fictional small township of Buck Creek. Lacking the means to do this himself, Sheriff Cooper brings together nine bounty hunters from diverse backgrounds, all sharing the desire to make money. Anyone who kills the Buck Creek Killer gets a bounty of $10,000, but if someone manages to capture him alive, they will receive a whopping $25,000. The group is as motley as they come a mix of lawmen, townsfolk and even a woman bounty hunter. Yet as these hunters’ ambitions and tensions turn towards their targets, The Sins of Buck Creek come shining through.
Death After Dusk has a lot of well placed moments that would be better enjoyed unspoiled, and aside from them, the main bounty hunters of Skinny played by Chandler Balli, and Short played by Addison Chapman remained with me for the rest of the film. Even after a couple of days, I still find myself imagining the climax sequence of the film repeatedly. Similar to the pairing of Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris in Appaloosa (2008), Skinny and Short are inseparable bounty hunting partners who are deeply bonded. Many of the best scenes in the film are shared by Balli and Chapman; the audience connects with them as they are emotionally invested in the couple’s joys and pains.
Indie films are always a toss-up. Either the filmmakers have spent all their money and you can feel it in every shot, or they’re so financially challenged that they become incredibly resourceful. For Death After Dusk, Balli worked with a rather modest $10,000 and somehow made every single dollar count. With a time-frame of two weeks and shooting in a barely standing town in Texas, Kinsey easily and artistically encapsulated the Texan landscape. There’s also a moment with two shadowy figures under a blue, starry sky that is striking and could be taken from any multi-million dollar film released this year. However, there were points during the film where I almost would have preferred certain character sets and wardrobe to look a tad more ragged and less pristine.
Death After Dusk manages to achieve a distinctly realistic depiction of actors delivering lines in their characters with “um” and “uh.” This is most likely true because many of these actors are friends or have collaborated professionally. The plot is rather simple, but it is never tedious since screenwriters Balli and Travis Lee Prine know how to make this story interesting from the beginning. There are a good number of characters in the film who can be overwhelming at first, but they all have their story. One standout scene comes from the tough female bounty hunter Blink who is played by Alana Phillips. Phillips portrays a captivation yet savage interpretation of the character as Balli and Prine explore Blink’s life and create a distinct narrative for the character.
Death After Dusk highlights the potential which is waiting to be unleashed as it has won awards ranging from the Florence Film Awards to the New York Movie Awards. There is much more to Balli than just being a director of the film- he also contributed as an actor, composer and writer which is quite an achievement for any director. Balli’s work is very evident across the film which are relatable narratives that are beautifully shot with a considerably pretentious run time for an independent film.
Death After Dusk is Ballis’ tribute to not just a single genre where he, and his crew do not disappoint. An chest thumping indie film that reminds you that not every film has to be a popcorn commercial to make a point.
Synopsis & Rating
“In the small Buck Creek town, that year was 1899. A man nicknamed the Buck Creek Killer is on the loose and the neighborhood is in a panic. The county sheriff made a decision to recruit a band of bounty hunters composed of nine members to bring the maniac to justice once and for all.”
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