After Awakening Siblings Strike Back

starring: EMMA KOTOS, PAULENA SHARP & TEIG SADHANA

SYNOPSIS

A pair of orphaned siblings were separated in childhood. Years later, the sister became a billionaire and tirelessly searched for her brother’s whereabouts. Meanwhile, the brother woke from a comatose state, and he and his wife endured relentless abuse from villains. After the sister found her brother, she punished those who had wronged him, only to be counterattacked by the villains.

REVIEW

⭐⭐⭐

I really can’t decide what to make of this vertical, which feels more like a stage play at many times. It is a classic pile-on of the villains, with a constantly escalating parade of elites determined to heap violence and humiliation on our leads Elliot, Rosie and Lila. As soon as one departs stage left, another enters stage right.

Look there are way too many slaps, a lot of violence and we end up going round in circles. But there are some interesting points being rather unsubtly made - it is perhaps the most clear cut critique of classism and the 1% as the poor, honest workers are constantly held up as the noble alternative to the elites. Or maybe it is just an allegory of a classic ‘beat em up’ video game, where the baddies keep on coming. I can’t decide.

When you have so many cast members, how do you stand out?

Well Paulena Sharp is brilliant as Rosie, the Lady Magnate of New York. It is nice seeing the role reversal, with Rosie being the one with the power at the beginning. I just wish they had kept the character at this level, as Rosie rather diminishes once she is challenged and Elliot regains his memories

Teig Sadhana has a tricky job as Elliot, who spends most of the first half being terrorised and assaulted by everyone around him. To be able to do that, and still make the character noble, and not weak, takes skill. One of my favourite scenes is when he is arranging flowers with Lila, Emma Kotos and they are just so adorable and innocent together. The big mistake they made was inviting all their relatives to the wedding. Never do that! When Elliot regains his memories, he visibly changes demeanour, with both his stance and voice as he has the confidence in his connections to assert himself against he villains. It works for the story, but I miss puppy dog Elliot.

Then of the villains I think the standouts has to be Zane Claudio as William, who channels Begbie from Trainspotting, and brings a unique demented energy, and I am sure purposefully played the character as amped up on some sort of drugs. And there is a reason that the scene where William attacks Elliot with a glass bottle is nominated Best Action Scene in the 2024 Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards. It is shocking, and memorable.

Vertical storytelling is moving on from this style of story, but I do think it is an interesting piece to go back to, and I admire that it is trying to, if somewhat clumsily, deliver a bit of a moral message about the state of the world.

💖 Top swoonworthy moment:

There is a very sweet love at the centre of this, Lila and Elliot’s love despite all the madness around them. If only they had been allowed to have their boho wedding in peace.

🦹🏼‍♂️ Top villain award:

I counted at least 5, so you can take your pick - but my favourites have to be William (Zane Claudio) and Blake (Brad Hamler) unleashed, and causing mayhem.

😂 Comedy gold:

William and his man bag (loving the Louis Vuitton).

🎺 Unsung hero:

I do love the very unsubtle GOOD HONEST HARDWORKING construction workers led by Lila’s brother and Robert the restaurant owner.

✍🏼 DETAILS

2024

Available on Goodshort