The Samatarian (David Weaver, 2012): Canada

Reviewed by Gustav Orvefors. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The Samatarian is a dark and tragic film… And I love it!

The film is very dim and the colors are allmost allways dark, and that is to really match the story. And what a story! It is really original and have a twist that leaves you stunned in your seat.

In The Samatarian we follow Foley “Samuel L. Jackson” which after twenty years in prison, searches for a new life in peace.When Foley meets an elusive young woman named Iris “Ruth Negga”, the possibility of a new start looks real. But when he finally think he can settle down and enjoy life, his past catches up with him.

The Samatarian have a certain sadness that follows the film all the way through, from the first to the final scene, and the colors in the film helps to bring out that gloomy feeling even more. The rhythm in the film is kind of slow, at least slower then normal action-movies these days, but I feel that the emptiness between the lines is making the scenes come alive. The slow rhythm also makes the film more realistic, and whenever there is any action you get thrown right in it with your head first.

Samuel L. Jackson makes a wonderful performance, and the empathy I got for Foley is real. Whenever he pulls the trigger, he makes me feel like it is me firing the gun. The Samatarian is not only entertaining, it’s a experiance and a joy to watch.