In Mike Merell’s film, Desert Vows, a soon-to-be married woman ventures out with three friends on a journey of discovery. Without question, Hunter, the protagonist in the film, comes across as the most real character. In what would seem to be her quest for the truth, ironically, it is she who leads her friends to self-discovery. Hunter, in fact, always had the truth inside of her; it only took a chance meeting with a desert miner, uttering little more than one sentence, for her to see the light. Cinematographer Radan Popovic opens up to the viewer the dynamics of the dialog. Hunter and her three friends banter in a typical estrogen-charged conversation, and, at one point, the screen splits into four quadrants illustrating both verbal and non-verbal exchange. For the viewer, it is not the least bit distracting and somehow enhances the scene in a most unique manner. Then, all four women are dynamically merged into one; again, there is a seamless transition as the story progresses. During one point, the four friends break out into a campfire-like song and a colorful graphic appears that is reminiscent of the psychedelic images of the 1970s. Hunter transitions in the film which does indeed have a plot. She must use what she has been led to see to make some difficult decisions. Mike Merell deserves much credit for displaying his unique skills in the film without overwhelming the viewer and definitely does not neglect to bring out the authenticity of his very talented cast. If your quest for a somewhat avant-garde film with real people has reached a dry spell, check out Desert Vows.
Tom L. in Pittsburgh, PA 10/14/10