One of the most complicated, unfair obstacles that a cinematographic work sometimes must overcome is the audience s anticipation when, in the same release
J.D. Dillard s 2016 breakout feature film "Sleight" was a low-budget gem that showcased what this up-and-coming filmmaker could do. Applying an indie sensibility to a gritty, magic-inspired superhero origin story, his focus on character over spectacle made "Sleight" moving, and memorable. In Dillard s follow-up film (he has spent a few years directing TV), the Korean War epic "Devotion," the budget may have gotten bigger, and the sumptuous, soaring visuals more spectacular, but the emphasis on character remains the same.