"Hobo With a Shotgun" Review - Written By Anthony T

Hobo With A Shotgun
Year: 2011
Director: Jason Eisener
Stars: Rutger Hauer, Molly Dunsworth, Brian Downey
Studio: Magnet Releasing
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 86 Mins

Hobo With a Shotgun” was originally conceived in 2007, when filmmaker Robert Rodriquez and SXSW launched a contest where aspiring filmmakers were creating fake grindhouse trailers. Jason Eisener and his production company “Yer Dead” came with a faux trailer that pays homage to revenge films of grindhouse era. That trailer ultimately won that contest and had it’s trailer played in front of fan in their native Canada. Also during that same time, the faux trailer was gaining a cult following on you tube. Now four years later, this once faux trailer has become a feature length film.

The film is about a homeless person, who jumps off a fright train to tries to start a new life. But what he finds is a city that is overrun by a crime boss and his sadistic sons. During all this, he comes across a lawn mower in a pawn shop. The homeless person begins to dream of how he can make the city a beautiful place and start a new life. But as the chaos continues around him, his dreams turn into rage. He realizes that the only way that he is going to be a difference in this town is to have a shotgun in his hand and two shells in his chamber.

When I first heard about “Hobo With A Shotgun” becoming a feature length film, I was very geeked about it considering I enjoyed the faux trailer so much. But this was a little worrisome that this wouldn’t work a feature film. I was hoping that this film would have more content and not rely much on the faux trailer. Thankfully, there was more content to it than relying on recreating scenes from a faux trailer.

What makes this film work very well, was that it has very good direction from Jason Eisener. He does a very good job making this film feel like a late seventies/early eighties exploitation film. From the way the film looks to its soundtrack,. Those things fits the film‘s tone perfectly to the point that you‘re into the film. Eisener also does a very good job balancing the film’s over the top violence with the various subplots. One of things that this film has that Machete or Grindhouse didn’t have was an interesting subplot that was able to slow down the tone of violence. Don’t me wrong, I liked those films a lot. It’s just that sometimes you have to slow down the violence and tell a story with subplots and characters. This film allows it with the scenes with the Hobo and the prostitute. It’s developed like a father / daughter relationship in a weird way which is handled very well and provides an interruption to the violence. Most of it has to do with the his direction. I liked, how Eisener directs the actors in those scenes, as those scenes felt genuine and helped slow down the film. He also does a good job in handling the performances. I thought Ruger Hauer was very good here, as he makes the character very dark and fitting the tone of the character without making it to the point, where doesn‘t the same character that you saw in the faux trailer. It makes the character entertaining to watch. Eisener also does a very good job handling the supporting performances especially the villains roles. They come off as over the top, but it’s very effective in making the film work. I thought Brian Downey, who played the main villain was menacing, The performance helps add to the chaotic nature of this film.

The film also has a good solid screenplay from John Davies. One of the things that makes this screenplay good, it doesn’t take itself seriously. Davies does a very good job creating some interesting action sequences that gets this film going. I liked, how some of the sequences were created to be over the top. It’s done that way to give the film its exploitation feel and keeps you focused on the action , which is what you want with a film like this. Also, the characters have personality to them. I liked how Davies focus on giving personality to the characters. , For films of this nature to succeed, you need characters with personality. This film has it with its characters. You have a homeless man with a shotgun, a prostitute with a heart of gold, a main villain that always craves for the spotlight, his henchman who act like homicidal rich preppy brats and you have the Plague, who are hitmen that comes right out of a horror film. (I‘m not kidding, You actually see them briefly fighting an octopus like monster.) It does sounds so outrageous, but it works so well, because it get your attention and that is what films of this magnitude do to get you interested in their film.

Thankfully, “Hobo With a Shotgun” delivers on the faux trailer with all the over the top violence and very good direction from Jason Eisener. as this film is surely guarantied to be a cult classic.

Review Rating: Five Stars.