Taking place after the Battle of Endor, a pair of stormtroopers and their commander are lost in the dense forest, looking for a way out in the vain hope that there is some remnant of the Empire still out there. They come across a biker scout who has been hung on a tree, completely devoid of flesh. There’s something in this forest that’s deadlier than the Rebels, and the trio have no way out.
This Star Wars fan film – created with love and the help of some crowdfunding – is directed by Gav Chuckie Steel (Preternatural) and written by Thomas J. Campbell, and the simple story draws the interest from the start. There’s a large element of Predator, too, with the unseen Ewoks stalking the Imperials with something far from cute on their minds.
Imagine the characters dressed differently, and there would still be an intriguing tale here. It’s one that certainly could be expanded to feature-length, but we guess the House of Mouse might have something to say about that. There are plenty of moments that recall the original trilogy, but it gets much darker than even The Empire Strikes Back did. It’s good to see that it doesn’t shy away from the gory moments, and there’s a brooding John Carpenter-esque score (also by Steel) to build up the tension.
The production values are surprisingly high for a low budget short. The attention to detail is remarkable and shows the passion of all involved. It’s just a shame it’s so short, as we’d love to see what the team could do with a larger budget.
SANCTUARY MOON will debut on YouTube on November 17th at 7pm.
