Film Review – Atropia

“Atropia” is the feature-length debut for writer/director Hailey Gates, who adapts her 2019 short, “Shako Mako.” Gates doesn’t go the easy route, taking on the business of war with a satiric edge in the film, which hopes to provide some laughs as it explores the happenings at an “urban war simulation” populated with actors and people looking to make a little extra cash. The setting is ripe for a madcap take on the strangeness of U.S. government preparation practices, especially during the George W. Bush presidential years, but Gates is hunting for something offbeat with “Atropia.” There’s a relationship story at the heart of the picture, and a decent one too, putting the helmer to work balancing the main character’s employment experiences and the needs of her heart. The feature is funny and odd, and while it doesn’t come together in a more dynamic manner, Gates offers confident moviemaking at times, generating a memorable effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com