U.S. DVD: William Kaufman's THE PRODIGY

"The Prodigy" tells the story of small-time enforcer Truman Fisher's vicious conflict with a sadistic assassin who has chosen the unwilling Truman to be his successor. The assassin, who goes by the alias Rains and whose exploits have become the source of legend among Truman's underworld colleagues, drives Truman, through the pressure of constant violence and grief, to understand his own capacity for both bloodshed and compassion. Ultimately this reveals to Truman that he as with all of us, must find our place in this world or as Rains would say "our place in this grand design."

This action begins quickly as Truman meets with a turncoat from a rival gang. This tense showdown erupts quickly into mayhem, when Rains makes his unexpected entrance. In the wake of the ensuing bloodbath, Truman is forced to reevaluate his own role in the small, violent world he inhabits, suddenly aware that there are larger powers at work which he does not understand. It soon becomes obvious that the strongest of these is Rains, whose jarring introduction into Truman's life is only the first in a series of carefully calculated steps. During the course of the film, Rains, after kidnapping [the nephew of Truman's boss], will force him into the role of detective, spurring Truman to assemble a rogue's gallery of underworld contacts in an effort to find his nemesis.

But Rains has a more ambitious agenda than merely terrorizing minor hoods: he soon begins to threaten Truman directly, menacing Truman's love, Nicki, with whom Truman hopes to soon escape from the drab meanness of his life. Rains will also threaten Truman's few true friends and sow deadly confusion among underworld enemies and allies alike. Striking with murderous effectiveness and leaving behind few clues, Rains uses his own near-mythical reputation to cloud his presence and even his own existence. Truman struggles to find his mysterious enemy while at the same time attempting to understand why Rains has chosen him as his target - and as his inspiration.

The Prodigy trailer #3 (downloadable 11.6 MB WMV file)
The Prodigy trailer #2 (downloadable 6.1 MB MOV file)
The Prodigy trailer #1 (downloadable 12.1 MB MOV file)
The Prodigy Japanese rental DVD case art (192 KB JPEG)
The Prodigy official website
MySpace: The Prodigy official page
New Films International: The Prodigy
Albatros: The Prodigy Japanese sale DVD
YesAsia.com: The Prodigy Japanese sale DVD
Variety: The Prodigy review