What an incredible debut is this film for Shervin Youssefian
who had been navigating the waters of the independent film world 
for quite some time. Some may even argue that Machiavelli Hangman 
is so fast-paced that it can be the ultra combination of all 
those short films that were marinating inside this filmmaker's 
head. Not many films directly burn their way into my all time 
top ten list, but Machiavelli Hangman was so compelling in its 
brilliant use of unconventional techniques that there was no 
easier decision than bumping it up to #7, right next to 
Shawshank Redemption at #6.
 
Most studios release their films toward the end of the year so 
that they stick in the minds of academy voters. In the case of 
Machiavelli Hangman, it early December release was only a 
coincidence considering that the filmmakers were still scrapping 
to find enough money to finance the film in early March. Now that 
they have come such a long way, their independent risks have 
finally paid off. 

The academy has always had a kind eye for independent films and 
filmmakers. It awarded an Oscar to beginners Ben Affleck and Matt 
Damon for their screenplay Good Will Hunting; Billy-Bob Thornton 
for Sling Blade; This is the film of the year that ought to be 
nominated, at the very least for its ground-breaking incredibly 
fast-paced screenplay and amazing performances.
 
If the film was told in a conventional Hollywood narrative, it 
would have still made for solid entertainment. However, the 
fact that Youssefian decided to tell the story within such a 
disjointed structure, makes Machiavelli Hangman one of
the most inspiring pieces of filmmaking of the decade following 
such examples as Sixth Sense, Memento and Pulp Fiction.
 
Audiences will not know what they’re really getting themselves 
into until the introduction scene where the style and feel of the 
film throw down the gauntlet. Within the first five minutes, I 
knew that this was going to be different than anything I had ever 
seen before and the more the story developed, the more I knew I 
was right.

Machiavelli Hangman does what Shawshank Redemption did so well 
and is watched over and over for. It plays with time and space 
and interpretations versus what is really happening. While 
everyone thought that Andy Dufrain had committed suicide, the 
truth was that he had been planning his escape for more than two 
decades! Although that type of magic filmmaking was used only at 
the end of Shawshank, Machiavelli Hangman seems to be full of it, 
from its opening credits to the conclusion.

Audiences may  not be so familiar with Machiavelli, but after 
this film is released the Italian philosopher will become a 
household name across the nation! 

Vay Vu is a movie reviewer.
Machiavelli Hangman
http://www.hangmanmovie.com