Plot Summary
During the Colonial era, when the Colonists were restless and ready to be out from under the thumb of the British, Sybil Ludington, along with her family and friends, worked secretly for the independence of the Colonies from the British. Though it wasn’t always easy and they faced plenty of opposition, in the end, they believe it was worth it to achieve freedom. Even though she is an unsung hero, the work of Sybil Ludington still affects America today.
Production Quality (.5 point)
Sybil Ludington is clearly a first-time effort with poor funding. What funding they did receive it seems was spent on the historically accurate props. Otherwise, the rest of the production falls by the wayside. Video quality is poor and camera work is quite shaky. Lighting is terrible in most scenes and the sets and locations are severely limited. Audio quality is also fairly unprofessional and below standard. Furthermore, as usual for a fledgling independent film, editing is almost nonexistent. In the end, though Kicks Flicks usually means well, money was clearly a problem here.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
Much like its successor, The Light of Freedom, Sybil Ludington highlights an important and intriguing historical story that would be easier to understand if it was presented better. However, as it is, this film has an extremely boring presentation that plays out like a homeschooler’s play more than a movie. What’s more is the dialogue is archaic and cumbersome in attempts to be historically authentic or something. Thus, the characters cannot be related to and it’s impossible to even be interested in this story because of the way it’s laid out. It’s a shame because this is probably a good story that’s worth telling in some other fashion, like one with more money behind it.
Acting Quality (.5 point)
Like other sections, good costuming that reflects the historical period well is the only thing that saves this part from being zero points. Otherwise, this acting job is somewhat unpleasant, including terrible line delivery and painfully forced emotions. There is far too much yelling and not enough believability. Even if you don’t have enough money to fund your production, you can still at least try to have a professional acting performance.
Conclusion
Historical fiction is a tricky and ambitious genre to take on early in one’s film making days. Though the Burns family has had success in this area, it’s certainly not for everyone. But even the best of film makers sometimes has a meager beginning, so perhaps we haven’t even seen the best that Kicks Flicks can do. Maybe things will look up for them in the near future.
Final Rating: 1.5 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 