Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Capsule Reviews 3/17/10

Some short reviews of crime and action films for your viewing pleasure. They are the sort of thing to find at your video store in the spaces between the major releases.

THE LOCAL (2008) is about a drug dealer who is trying to stay clean. He ends up getting involved with various people including a man who pays him to get a kidnapped relative back. Low budget independent film is a really good film on its own terms. The cast is uneven but game and the script is quite good. Definitely worth a look for those wanting something a bit grittier then Hollywood.

LOVE LIES BLEEDING (2008) Iraq war vet is trying to get by in a bad neighborhood. When his house is robbed by some bad guys he goes to get his stuff back and walks into the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong. Taking the money he finds, he flees only to be chased by Christian Slater a psycho DEA agent who will stop at nothing to get his money back. Solid little B action film has good characters and the sense to just keep moving all the way to the end. Everyone selld the story which doesn't try to do anything except entertain. I've seen this on DVD and on cable, which ever way you see it give it a shot.

BORDER TOWN (2009) is a pure exploitation B movie with no shame and just great action. It concerns a man who has been on a five year quest to find his kidnapped daughter. She's been kidnapped by white slavers and the quest has taken him around the world and left a trail of dead men in his wake. Everyone wants our hero dead because he allows no one and nothing stand in his way. It all comes down to a border town ner Mexico where the bad guys know he's coming and he knows they know. Super action film probably would have been a main stay of the grind-house movie theaters in their heyday. This is a film with good good guys, bad bad guys, funny lines and lots of action. Think of it as a sort of play on Robert Rodriguez's Desperado. Its a small scale gem and one I wanted to watch again when it was over. Keep in mind its not high art just good fun)

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