We've all seen our share of female-centric survival thrillers, but this feature film debut by TV and film location managers Philip S. Plowden and Devon Colwell (Chicago P.D. and Jupiter Ascending), working as co-writers and directors, don't allow their story to degrade into (the usual) supernatural subplots; they instead chose to focus on drama and character development over the usual ultra-violence we are normally subjected to in the female-survival genre.
Actress Celeste M. Cooper-who met the writing-directing duo as a recurring background actor on the set of Chicago P.D.-is Mel, a tough-as-nails long-distance runner taught by her father to endure pain and exist outside of her body's physical limits. While setting a goal for herself to conquer an infamous 2,000-mile hiking trail, she puts the lessons of her father (coaching her via flashbacks) to the test when two desperate men (Sean Patrick Leonard and Michael B. Woods; both Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med acting alum) descend her into a life of terror.
The day and night outdoor photography on this by Darryl Miller (Chicago P.D., natch) is crisp and sharp; in conjunction with its tight script and pacing from Plowden and Colwell, Range Runners rises above the usual VOD streaming and Lifetime damsel-of-the-weekend product. The acting in this is superb and assures we will see more from Cooper, Leonard, and Woods on the small and big screen.
Actress Celeste M. Cooper-who met the writing-directing duo as a recurring background actor on the set of Chicago P.D.-is Mel, a tough-as-nails long-distance runner taught by her father to endure pain and exist outside of her body's physical limits. While setting a goal for herself to conquer an infamous 2,000-mile hiking trail, she puts the lessons of her father (coaching her via flashbacks) to the test when two desperate men (Sean Patrick Leonard and Michael B. Woods; both Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med acting alum) descend her into a life of terror.
The day and night outdoor photography on this by Darryl Miller (Chicago P.D., natch) is crisp and sharp; in conjunction with its tight script and pacing from Plowden and Colwell, Range Runners rises above the usual VOD streaming and Lifetime damsel-of-the-weekend product. The acting in this is superb and assures we will see more from Cooper, Leonard, and Woods on the small and big screen.