Ukrainian filmmaker Ilya Noyabrev lets all the tension brew within its tight frame with a series of deceptive simplicities so that 'The Last Wish' is both a short film and a breath of fresh air. The movie is shot at the entrance to an enigmatic supreme court, where souls await the decision that will determine their destiny, but it becomes like a parable, of course, one that does not want to rest in any genre or in any moral orientation. The narrative seems to be on the verge of redemption, despair, revelation, or even dark humour at any second, which makes for an atmosphere of exquisite uncertainty.
The focal point of this emotional and metaphysical balancing act is Igor Rubashkin, whose role as the Angel is absolutely spellbinding. Rubashkin portrays the divine character with a strange mixture of gentleness and harshness; the eyes are kind, but the stance indicates a power that cannot be challenged. Instead of inclined romanticized supernaturalness, Rubashkin bases the Angel on shocking realism. His collected, deliberate presence evokes both comfort and fear, as though he is aware of what the decision will be but is not, or cannot, tell it. It is a play of intense silence that charges all the scenes.
It is not the spectacle but rather anticipation that builds tension in the film. Noyabrev shapes the waiting area in front of the Supreme Court as a transitional space, where time is close to its end, where a movement of a hand or a change of a face becomes meaningful. The directing of Ilya Noyabrev is fine. He possesses a rare gift of playing with the spectator, of giving hints that seem final until studied with attention, of altering the emotional temperature of a situation with a single line or a single look, of placing characters in a way that leaves their morality in a state of flux. He creates ambiguity as a narrative device, and the impact is mesmerizing. The film is enhanced by clean shots, paced exquisitely, and a light soundtrack to create a feeling that anything can happen; the film is holding its breath, as well as its characters.
Compact in its runtime, 'The Last Wish' succeeds in being expansive and allows viewers to fill in the empty spaces with their fears, regrets, and hopes. Noyabrev shows his artistry, a testament to creating so much out of such economy of narration, and Igor Rubashkin shows his genius in making such a character, ordinarily an archetype, become multiple, uncomfortable, and all too human.
Written by Vlad A.G