The Dark Passenger

Matt Katz

1:22 PM Sunday, March 22, 2009

Scene 1

A plane lands and a bag is unloaded from the plane. It has a few cues about it that say this is movie important. We follow the bag to baggage pickup as it goes around with other, less special bags. A hand picks it up and carries it out of the airport into a waiting cab.

Scene 2

The cabbie engages the dark passenger in conversation as he takes off out of the airport. The conversation becomes more and more awkward as it goes on. They are from differing arab cultures and perspectives. The cabbie is simpler and an american patriot, though he's been a little wounded by the past 8 years. The dark passenger is more jaded and worldly. There is a gulf between them that is wider than their appearance suggests.

Scene 3

Something is off
The dark passenger

• keeps changing the destination.
  
• never takes his hands off the case.
  
• is distracted.
  
• is defensive

Scene 4

Questions arise for the cabbie

• why does this man not know where he's going?
• will my fare get paid?

The cabbie begins to discuss the passenger with pals over his cellphone. They bring up more and more fears and doubts

Scene 5

Tension mounts
The dark passenger

• keeps asking to go to population centers
  • is disappointed when they aren't full of people
  • asks where everyone is
• isn't trying to get anywhere, but the meter keeps getting higher
• is defensive and snaps at the cabbie

Scene 6

The cabbie takes some action. He begins to drive out and away, to jersey or to queens, to uptown, to the bronx, away from people and towards any place where crowds won't be. It's the only way to keep the guy from detonating his bomb.
As he makes his move, the dark passenger reacts * we must not go away from crowds. What is going on?

Scene 7

The turn. The shooting at the cab begins. The chasing begins. The cabbie is terrified. We don't know who is doing this, but it doesn't seem like cops.

Now we know that the dark passenger wanted the cover of crowds, not the bodycount. The pursuers are dogged and can't be shaken. A commotion attracts the attention of the authorities. They are also suspicious of the chase. It's a mess of arabs and we don't trust any of them.

Scene 8

Now the phone network of cabbies comes together * they are coordinating with each other as a swarm * passing messages, arranging to block out pursuers. They produce accidents and fender benders to block cops and the hounds of pursuit. They merge together in a pack to fool overhead helicopters. NYC is fucking nuts.

Scene 9

The hacked on climax

Turns out it was a bomb. Total devastation. A sea of twisted yellow metal.
Just kidding.
It wasn't a bomb in the case. A critical handoff is made. The day is saved. The yellow swarm of cabs evaporates.
The city continues working and everything is unchanged.