In the throes of an epidemic (not the one you’re thinking of), two parents of murdered children find themselves struggling to deal with their loses. As they attempt to come to terms with these horrific events they realize that they must take action against the senator that has voted down gun laws throughout her time in office. The two become Triggered at every mention of guns or violence, but they are sure that what they’re doing is the best course of action. No one can win in this scenario–but it’s all they have.
The opening moments of Triggered paint a picture that allows viewers to see into the darkness that exists within each of the film’s antagonists/protagonists (the reality is that they fill the shoes of both throughout the film). However, viewers don’t initially understand what is occurring, and it takes a few minutes to realize the depth of Triggered, and how important this message is to the world. The darkness that permeates the film leaves an uncomfortable feeling hanging over viewers, making them stew in pain and suffering with the film’s leads. As viewers are pulled into the narrative, they can sympathize with those suffering characters (Ohio [Isiah Whitlock Jr.] and Virginia [Caitlin Mehner])–and their struggles begin to feel real as the film moves forward.
The realism comes in part from the darkness that transcends the entirety of the film, but it also comes, in big part, from the acting. Mehner, Whitlock Jr., Tara Westwood (Heidi), and Robert John Burke (David) fill the shoes of their respective characters with grace and precision, and there were often times when I forgot that I was watching a film–and it felt like I was part of a real-life testimonial about the issues regarding gun laws. Their passion is felt, and their understanding of the content makes Triggered groundbreaking in terms of their willingness to do whatever needs to be done in order to get their point across. There’s never a dull moment throughout the course of the film–and while the narrative, direction, and everything else plays an integral role in this, the four actors tasked with bringing this all to life are the primary reason why it is done so with such excellence.
Triggered is a political drama that shows its hand and allows viewers to know exactly which side of the fence it falls on. There’s no doubt in my mind that the contents of the film will antagonize many viewers, and that it will be incredibly divisive–but that’s sort of the intention. Writer Thomas Dunn and Director Westwood want their viewers to feel uncomfortable, they want them to question their own beliefs and look to make change–and whether or not they can prompt those viewers to actually change their mind, that intention is clear–never faltering. Whether or not I agree with the message doesn’t matter, all that matters is that Dunn and Westwood effectively relay their message–refusing to surrender to the pressure of the masses and/or the media.
Even with everything done throughout the course of the film, Triggered still manages to take a step forward in its final seconds. The ending is ambiguous, likely leading to a discussion–again, exactly what the filmmakers would have wanted. Good and bad, right and wrong, and everything in between comes into play in the final seconds–and that’s the purpose of Triggered. Everything works the way in which this crew would have wanted it to, and it reaches viewers in a way that will likely lead to change. Even if Triggered does ruffle some feathers along the way, there’s no doubt that it will entertain even more.
Directed by Tara Westwood.
Written by Thomas Dunn.
Starring Isiah Whitlock Jr., Caitlin Mehner, Robert John Burke, & Tara Westwood.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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