Written and directed by Ren Thackham, this Australian short action film takes place on a mysterious dirt road in the harsh yet picturesque outback and centers around two men - Ned Williams (Lee Priest), a beast with a darkside and a taste for freedom, and Constable Rose (Danny Bolt), who seems to be not much more than an honest bloke trying to do an honest day's job and hoping to survive the day. 

At a mere six minutes, it's rather amazing just how much Thackham packs into Round Trip, a film beautifully photographed by Susan Lumsdon and featuring rather fantastic original music by Rafael May. 

Round Trip is an unexpectedly fun action short with threads that are darker the more you watch the film and the more you actually realize what's going on in the film's six minutes. It's an ingenious script by Thackham that twists what you expect and gives you a quirky, thrilling and adventurous ride. It helps that the two actors involved, Lee Priest and Danny Bolt, are absolutely up for the challenge of playing these characters and you can't help but chuckle a bit with every little twist of the plot.

Round Trip was only recently completed and is getting set for the film festival circuit, a circuit that I can't help but believe will welcome it with open arms given its uniqueness, genuinely involving action, terrific performances and overall success. 

I can't lie. Whenever I see an Australian film cross my desk, the expectations increase. Thackham lives up to those expectations and actually surpasses them with this entertaining and memorable short film had me smiling from beginning to end. 

If you get a chance to check out Round Trip on its festival circuit, be sure to do so. For more information on the film, visit its Facebook page linked to in the credits. 

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic