Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

The Prodigy is a good example of how you don't need A-list stars and a big budget to make a good movie. This was made by a bunch of first-timers with actors you've never seen before, and the result was surprisingly entertaining with some stellar action sequences. I watched his movie via Netflix on my PS3.

This movie is about a bunch of thug mafia types who find themselves in a personal war with a very talented assassin who takes them out by the roomful. The assassin is featured on the cover of the box, and he uses the alias of Claude Rains because that was the actor who played the original Invisible Man in the classic 1930's horror movie. One of the main tough guys makes it his mission to root out the killer and finish him off, but he winds up in way over his head.

A drug deal kicks off the movie, so you are treated with some profanity and tough guy talk until guns get pulled and you think there's about to be a big standoff. All of a sudden, the assassin guy bursts through the back door with a machine gun and all hell breaks loose. What follows is a very awesome action sequence that goes on for nearly ten minutes of non-stop shooting, punching, and kicking until pretty much everyone but the Invisible Man and the lead character are left. The rest of the story unfolds as the thugs are on the assassin's trail, only to find out that they are being hunted, too.

The two main actors, Holt Boggs and Matt Beckham, also co-wrote the screenplay along with director William Kaufman. Boggs looks a little like John Cusack and does a fine job in the lead role. He has a brooding look that fits the role, and he can throw a punch as good as anyone. He has made several other movies since this one, but nothing major. The same goes for Beckham. Director William Kaufman will be teaming up with Boggs again in the upcoming Sinners & Saints.

What really impressed me was how good this movie looked in terms of lighting and set design. I was also very impressed with the action sequences. A lot of great sets were used to show the seedy side of things, and it helped to create a lot of atmosphere within the movie. I also liked how the action was portrayed with real fights and not martial arts or anything like that. The quickness of Boggs and the assassin was great and their fights together were excellent. I even did some Google searches to make sure that wasn't Ray Parks (who played Darth Maul) under the assassin's mask. It wasn't him.

Some people may be a little put off by the ending of this movie. I won't give away any spoilers, suffice to say that some things are left up to interpretation. The final shot of the movie is quite symbolic if you pay attention. I found a couple of threads devoted to the ending on IMDb.com, so you may want to go there in case you saw this movie and did not ‘get it'.

I highly recommend The Prodigy to action movie fans or aspiring filmmakers. It proves just how much you can accomplish with a minimal budget. I've seen worse movies that literally cost thirty times as much as it did to make this one.

Recommended: Yes

Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age