Chris_Pandolfi
"Justice at the Squeeze of a Trigger"
New Releases, Oscar-Winners and Obscure Movies!
Join | Log In
Pure awesome sickness.
-
Jul 28, 2011
- by ryguy4738
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
*** out of *****
+3
I'm usually repulsed by movies that are amongst some of the most violent I've seen. But that's because most of them are misogynistic, racist, or whatever-else, in their violence. "Hobo With a Shotgun" is one of those movies (that ranks amongst one of the most violent I've seen), but at the same time, it is different than most of the other films that would make the cut. Unlike the rest of them, it's not violent to induce fear or helplessness; it is violent for humorous reasons. But also, maybe, to sicken us...I wasn't too sure.
That right there is the film's only real flaw. Sometimes, it doesn't make it too obvious that we're supposed to be laughing. Consider the scene where a villainous character unleashes a flame-thrower on a school-bus filled with helpless, screaming children. It's hard to laugh at things like that, but otherwise; "Hobo With a Shotgun" is pretty darn funny and pretty darn awesome, in a guilty pleasure sort of way. I enjoyed it as much as I could, and cringed whenever possible. It was disgusting, vile, sick, and you know what; I freaking ate it up as if it were Alphabet Soup.
A homeless man (Rutger Hauer) enters a big city in hopes of starting his life out new. He arrives and discovers that the place has been riddled with junkies and violence. I'm sure we realize this pretty quickly too; especially when the local "top criminals" heartlessly decapitate a man by placing him in a pothole, placing a barb-wire noose around his neck, and putting the pedal to the metal.
The hobo resumes going through his daily life; looking at people, looking inside stores at stuff he can't afford, such as a lawnmower, which costs the fifty bucks that he just doesn't have. But he tries to save up as much as he can. When he finally does, he goes into the store, only to be at the scene of an attempted robbery. He then plays hero; and instead purchases a shotgun, which he uses to shoot the living hell out of the robbers, as well as anyone else who dares shoot dope, kill the innocent, or humiliate the homeless. The hobo also tries to save a young prostitute (Molly Dunsworth), a woman who the hobo believes might have a future, as she is a potential dreamer.
But of course, the hobo can only go around shooting pedophile Santas, druggies, and criminals for so long. The man who "runs the (crime) show", Drake, has his eye on the hobo after his deeds inspire some city-folk. And he's bound to take down the homeless rebel in any way he can.
The bad-assery doesn't take too long to start. The film is a bloody mess, but a beautiful (if not lovably dumb) one. This film is the very definition of insane. It can be anything but morally redeemable at times, but heck, it's a fun ride even with those sickeningly brutal scenarios. It's not necessarily funny to watch high-class criminals bash people's heads between two bumper-cars, but it's very, very fun to watch them get their just deserts afterwards. Also, the best scene in the film is, without a doubt, the one where the prostitute character's arm is cut off with a lawnmower. But the best part about the scene is this: she turns around soon afterwards, and stabs her attacker (or...forcer, if you will) with the bone that's hanging out what's left of her arm! There are things within the film that cannot be found elsewhere, because the brilliant minds behind this film go where few filmmakers have gone before. They must have visited slaughterhouses to get so much blood and gore! I mean, scene-after-scene; it's all blood...but it's as tasteful as it is tasteless. Say it ain't so; but I think such a thing is very much possible.
And then there's Hauer, the Hobo with a Shotgun. How can you not find his over-the-top, intense, bloodthirsty performance endearing? Why, you'd have to be as tasteless as this movie is! I mean, he makes for a convincing Hobo. That's something that no man can deny.
"Hobo With a Shotgun" is likely one of the wildest rides of 2011, when it comes to film. It is shot like a bad acid trip, presented like an out-of-this-world-insane amusement park filled to the top with blood and guts, and directed with skill and passion for pure, old-fashion exploitation. The film originated from one of the fake trailers (of the same name), which was attached to the Tarantino-Rodriguez "Grindhouse" collaboration, and it shows. This movie is crazy, but endearing in its sense of sheer brutality. You'll have a difficult time finding a movie this insane, but that's a good thing. Not for the faint of heart, not for the child of ANY responsible parent, and not for anyone who doesn't have a barf-bag at their side whilst watching it. My last word of advice is this: don't eat before you watch it. Your meal might be someone else's, or even yours, to clean up.
What did you think of this review?
Helpful
3
Thought-Provoking
3
Fun to Read
3
Well-Organized
3
Post a Comment
woopak_the_thrill
July 28, 2011
This movie was pretty sweet. :)
show text editor
1
More Hobo with a Shotgun reviews
Star Rating: There’s a scene early in Hobo with a Shotgun where a man is hanging by his head, which is sticking out of a manhole in the middle of the street. His brother, a crime lord, kills him by putting a rope around his neck, tying the other end of the rope to a car bumper, and driving off, pulling his head clean off his body. One of the crime lord’s scantily clad trophy girls stands over the gaping wound and dances lewdly as she lets copious … more
Comments (4)
Compliments (24)
About the reviewer
Ryan J. Marshall (ryguy4738)
Ranked #3
Ranked #3
It's very likely that the only kind of reviews I'll ever post here are movie reviews. I'm very passionate about film; and at this point, it pretty much controls my life. Film gives us a purpose; … more
Consider the Source
Use Trust Points to see how much you can rely on this review.
You
ryguy4738
Your ratings:
Recent reviews by ryguy4738
About this movie
Cast:
Rutger Hauer,
Gregory Smith,
Robb Wells,
Drew O'Hara,
Brian Downey,
Pasha Ebrahimi,
Nick Bateman,
Molly Dunsworth,
Jeremy Akerman,
André Haines
Director:
Jason Eisener
Genre:
Action,
Comedy,
Crime,
Thriller
Release Date:
19 May 2011 (Netherlands)
Screen Writer:
John Davies,
Jason Eisener
Runtime:
86 min
First to Review
- About Lunch
- Press
- FAQs
- Contact Us
- Terms of Service
- Privacy Policy
- Sitemap
- Report Abuse
© 2013 Lunch.com, LLC All Rights Reserved
Lunch.com - Relevant reviews by real people.