Raindance Symphony Orchestra review - KUNG FU ELLIOT by Matthew Bauckman and Jaret Belliveau

Filmmakers Matthey Bauckman and Jarey Belliveau take us inside the world of Elliot Scott, a man with a dream - becoming Canada's first ever action star. Their latest documentary Kung Fu Elliot was prsented in the Raindance Symphony Orchestra section of the Raindance Film Festival 2014.
 
Every fly on the wall, direct cinema documentary, in order to be great and interesting has to have the right subject. Elliot Scott is, indeed, quite a strange and magnetic individual. Keen on becoming Canada's answer to Jackie Chan and Jean Claude Van Damme, he produces, stars and films homemade action feature films with the help of his girlfriend. Taking advantage of his background in martial arts, and idolising icons like Chuck Norris, he places himself as the leading hero and does whatever it takes to promote himself as the next big thing in macho actioners. There is just one problem - the man takes himself too seriously and is not even remotely as good and talented as he claims to be.
But of course, Bauckman and Belliveau are not content with filming the making of documentary for what would, at best, become a cult b-movie with blenty of involountary comedy. And so, they follow his private life. His relationship with his girlfriend, a woman who 'd like to settle down with him, but seems to believe everything he tells her. They even follow him on a trip to China, where he is supposedly meant to do some filming and buy his girlfriend a ring, but comes back empty handed. Furthermore, as the film progresses, Elliot goes from being an eccentric individual - which one would expect from a man who goes by the moniker of white lightning - to revealing a much darker side.
 
Despite all this, Bauckman and Belliveau remain quite balanced and respectful of their subject. This inobtrousiveness works in revealing more vulnerability within the central subject, and even hints at specific traumatic experiences that have caused him to build a shell or even an alter ego for himself. And the style they employ also works in making Kung Fu Elliot a truly entertaining, gripping and a time surreal portrayal, the likes that have probably only been seen in fictional works or mockumentaries. The catch here is that everything that is happening is true!