‘The Rats’ a film made in St. Croix looks at crime prevention

BY SELINA McCALLUM

Films that are made for the Caribbean community, by the Caribbean community ensures that there is not a single story of us for the world. Controlling the narrative helps us create many perspectives and conversations around what it means to be Caribbean.

Filmmaker Ramon Richardson has finished his third feature film called The Rats. The production is based in St. Croix, which is one of the United States Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It is an action and drama production by Admirals Pavilion Motion Pictures.

Richardson is inspired by stories that he can really dive into.

“As a writer, I focus on topics that the subject matter in itself has enough substance for me to make a movie about it. As a fan of hip hop and gangster movies, now that I am a filmmaker, I figured that topic is universal and my storytelling version of it would capture the attention of audiences,” said Richardson.

The Rats is about a Senator, Alphonso Akbar, who has just been elected to the U.S. Virgin Islands Senate on the premise of crime prevention.

Cast members include, Lloyd Jarvis, who plays Senator Alphonso Akbar, and Robert Grisar, who plays Tony Jeffers the special agent.

The film opens up with a message for the audience that gives them a background of what the film is about.

“St. Croix is an unincorporated territory of the United States of America with a criminal incarceration rate of only 27%. If they do not raise it to at least 45%, their government may suffer the same fate. Newly elected Senator Alphonso Akbar assumes the task of neutralizing this threat by forming ‘The Rats’.”

“Also, I figured in my competitive arena as an independent filmmaker, The Rats would set my company apart from the rest,” said Richardson.

The film follows a character named El Nino who is a notorious drug lord. He is targeted by undercover detectives and informants that want him dead or out of business.

El Nino only cares about making money and defeating the system without getting caught, so he can continue to feed his family. ‘The Rats’ features themes of survival, loyalty, dedication and trust.

The Rats premiered in March of this year for the St. Croix community at the St. Croix Caribbean Cinemas.

It took the independent filmmaker two years to make The Rats.

“I would release short clips of it online so the actors could see the direction of the film and also to see how my subscribers react to the production. They couldn’t wait for the next episode,” said Richardson.

The Rats has so far received great feedback. However, many people felt the quality could be better.

“Many customers who bought the DVD can’t wait for a part two. The only negative response was about the production’s audio mastering. I would watch it over and over to see what the issue is, but my ears don’t hear any discrepancies,” said Richardson.

The filmmaker is already working on his fourth film.

“I am working on a movie called The Bodyguard. It should be finished next year. I play a character Jerome Bentley that has a movie agent that wants him to relocate to America to work with bigger production studios, but Jerome senses danger in the entertainment industry and is recruiting bodyguards to accompany him,” said Richardson.

Even through all the problems that can arise when making a film, like equipment failure or casting disputes, Richardson still focuses on the positives.

“I love everything about filmmaking! There is nothing I don’t like about it because the negatives that come with it cannot be avoided, and I just focus on what I can control,” said the filmmaker.

If you would like a digital copy of The Rats, please email admiralspavilionmotionpictures@gmail.com