In 2010, Brotherhood was a local film festival favorite, the little indie film by local filmmakers racking up audience awards at both SXSW and the Dallas International Film Festival. It is an exciting 81 minutes that drive full-throttle from the opening scene to its very last frame. This is movie-making turned up to eleven – stomach-grabbing, action-packed showmanship with a singular intention: to take you on a thrill ride. The problem with Brotherhood is that that is all it is. It is a well-crafted piece of eye candy. The ride is fun while lasts, but the film’s power immediately vanishes once the lights go up.

Brotherhood is about one really terrible night in a fraternity. As part of an initiation prank, pledges must hold up local convenience stores. The prank goes wrong, and one of the pledges is accidently shot. Rather than rush him to the hospital, the fraternity brothers try to cover their tracks, digging themselves into an ever-deepening hole.

This continual digging is the focus and fun of the movie. Every time a problem is solved, a new one arises. The problem is you become used to the trick. A doctor is secured to help the bleeding boy, but then the lawn is set on fire by a sorority. The fire is put out, but then there is a car accident in front of the house prompting a call to the police. The cop turns out to be an old fraternity brother, but then he happens to find the bleeding pledge. You get the idea.

The movie’s twists are regular and evenly paced — if almost plodding — but they are often quite humorous, which helps break up the headache brought on by all the yelling. Ah, yes, the yelling. There is a lot of yelling in Brotherhood. In fact, a possible fraternity drinking game could be created out of watching for a line that isn’t shouted in Brotherhood. At times yelling is Canon’s solution for high-intensity acting, but there are also some pretty good performances. All in all the directorial mission is singular: keep things ramped-up — a strategy that only serves as a constant reminder of the movie’s thorough lack of dynamics.

Will Canon has a success on his hands, and this film may prove the launching pad for bigger and better things. I could see studios throwing this guy a Bourne film, or the latest Marvel comic adaptation. But Canon’s style is too influenced by — if not overtly derivative of — his inspirations: Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, Guy Ritchie, Fight Club. Yet unlike those films and filmmakers, Canon’s filim never transcends its excitement. Brotherhood‘s characters are thin, and they contribute little to the film’s energy, which is driven almost exclusively by situation. This leads to an experience that is sensually involving, but not psychologically.

We are not worn down by all the terrible action on screen; we don’t question what is laid out before us like a greatest hits playlist of great action filmmaking techniques, a buffet of thrilling quotes. We never question Canon’s characters or their violence, and when it comes to directing this violent dance party towards a thematic gesture, we land on a milquetoast reflection on the forces of peer pressure or “group think.” You forgive the sketchy plot-making because Brotherhood is so much fun. But when the final twist occurs — a satisfying good guy punch to the bad guy’s face — it feels goofy and scripted, a cheep, undramatic pander set up to satisfy. Regardless, the audience cheers on cue.