Both gritty and pretty, “;Shiro's Head—The Legend”; is not only the debut of directors Don and Kel Muna, but the first feature-length film shot on Guam, starring Guamanians and directed by native Chamorros.

Weighed against the filmmakers' bottomless motivation—shot on what is described as a “;no-strings budget”; with a cast of only 10 volunteer nonactors—the film is a remarkable feat. Taken on its own, “;Shiro's Head”; still impresses, but sometimes strains under its heady ambition.

It starts off on familiar ground, with a bloodied Jacob Flores (Julius Santos) shot dead in his bathroom. The film then cuts to Jacob's brother Vince (Don Muna) setting up a camera in what looks like an interrogation room with only him inside it, vowing revenge. Fitting then, because the rest of the film keys in on Vince's self-interrogation of his own values.

The plot is spare: A family friend, Noah (Matt Ladrimault), returns to Guam and gets tangled in the search for a sword. A descendant of the sword's original owners, Imo Masakatsu (Dion Lizama), also arrives and goes on a vicious killing spree in search of his family heirloom. This all follows the death of the Flores patriarch, which kick-starts Vince's reformation.

The sequence of events, however, ambles. Some scenes have no dialogue; others get a bit talky, particularly during Vince's narration, a clear-cut example of why showing, not telling, better serves pacing.

This is an unapologetic do-it-yourself indie flick, and the Munas did do everything, from camerawork to lighting. They're clearly auteurs, and they need to focus on their vision. They need an editor to cut the fat (the movie would've been a great short film) and a screenwriter to give their more-than-adequate cast more to do.

But it's important to note that Don Muna's fiery performance as Vince is a revelation. Despite hobbling around with a cane, Vince's range of emotions carries the film.

The location is wonderfully served here, too. The island is lush but it isn't always paradise. And there's at least one perfect shot of a freewheeling dive at a natural pool in Inarajan village.

It's to the Munas' credit that they aimed high, making Guam's first “;serious”; attempt at filmmaking, unlike “;Son of Godzilla”; and the straight-to-DVD catastrophe “;Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon.”;

“;Second chances don't come to guys like me very often,”; Vince muses in the film. That might be true, but after “;Shiro's Head,”; I'm convinced second chances should go to guys like the Muna brothers.