HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (2011)

Directed & Edited By Jason Eisener
Written by: John Davies Stooy By: John Davies, Jason Eisener & Rob Cotterill 

Cinematography By: Karim Hussain 

 Cast: Rutger Hauer, Brian Downey, Gregory Smith, Molly Dunsworth 

In this film, a Hobo riding the rails comes to a town to save up and start his own lawnmower business. then he sees how corrupt and evil the town is. he tries to do the right thing and work with the cops but finds them to be crooked. so after being pushed too far he takes the law into his own hands and becomes a vigilante. Seeking to clean up the streets. 

 Is there such a thing as too over the top? this film seeks to answer that question. I mean there is a scene where someone is decapitated and blood is spilling out of their neck like a geyser and the villains "Girlfriend" or at least one of them in a white bikini stands and dances as the blood purs all over her. She reacts like she is getting an orgasm from it. 

 This film reminds me of the Troma Movies, i used to watch in my teen years. It has the right mix of Low-brow humor, Bad Taste, and Extreme gore. Which in a way makes me feel nostalgic watching this movie. Which made the film enjoyable and a fun movie experience There is nothing in the film you can take seriously none of the characters seem like real-life human beings. even the town and its citizens are unbelievable in their attitudes. 

The Villian kids drive a car that looks futuristic Like a Delorean and a 70's car mixed which helps in this unbelievable world we are thrust into. The colors of the film are a little too saturated. Yet come off as dirty and deteriorating. This adds to the queasiness of what is happening on screen. The Villian and his family remind me of The power and sickness of Saddam Hussein and his sons Uday and Qusay. which is the closest this film get's to a political statement. 

 It's nice to see Rutger Hauer. he gets to cut loose and gives his character not only the heart but also deranged lunacy that goes with much of the movie. I haven't enjoyed him this much since CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, Which was supposed to be his last Comeback. and BLIND FURY another action B-Movie with a twist. Which matches the 80's feel. 

 Brian Downey who plays the villain "The Drake" i remember from the sci-fi Television show i loved Named LEXX. Here he chews so much scenery. it feels like he has waited his whole life to just let loose as a character. 

 I was shocked to see Gregory Smith Playing one of the villain's son. I remember him as a child actor in HARRIET THE SPY and THE PATRIOT as well as the TV Show EVERWOOD. he usually plays such good people I was taken aback to see him play a disgustingly evil bastard. 

 If you can't tell by the title of the movie. It is supposed to be silly. So you get what you expect. I have to say my excitement for the movie and watching it is probably better than the actual film is. The film started out as an entry into a trailer contest that the film GRINDHOUSE set-up to have the winner be apart of the fake trailers already in the film. this was the winning entry and from that, there was an offer to make the film after a script was completed and the filmmakers kept the film in the grindhouse tradition of being exploitive and having a gimmick. they forgot the part where most grindhouse films movies were usually schlock but the moviemakers were serious in what they thought would be a good film. which was what made them entertaining. It's one thing to have a sense of humor about yourself and your movie, but With all these grindhouse-inspired films the problem is that they try to be a joke and put the audience in with them on it. 

I will admit I enjoy most of the results of films like this and MACHETE, but it also gives a disservice to the title of grindhouse as most of these are just gory comedies. This one, in particular, seems to aim more for campiness at times than pure funny. Let me get off my soapbox. 

 This film also surprisingly leaves off another element that grindhouse and Troma movies usually revel in. There is hardly any nudity or sex in the film plenty of talking about it but rarely shown. Though the Villian's are supposed to be the big bad's. They don't seem to be the worst Psychopaths they just seem to be the most organized, even though they are all crazy. 

This film also has to have the luckiest hooker I have ever seen. She has a heart of gold has lived in this town this long and never seems to have a john but plenty of money and has never really been hurt or attacked of course that is until the hobo comes to town. I kept wondering how has she lasted so long? but then again this is a movie where almost every gunshot is big and deep when it lands and kills instantly, but cutting deep into a neck can be repairable. 

 This film fulfills what you would expect from it's title and poster. if that is what you see that is what you will get. I honestly can't wait to see if the filmmakers stay on the path to making films like this or make a natural transgression to other genre films. either way, i await their next move. A definite Addition to the film library... on sale 

 GRADE: B-