Vengeance Road, 2014.
Directed by Ravi Dhar.
Starring Nick Principe, Robin Sydney, Todd Farmer, Malice McMunn and John Fallon.
SYNOPSIS:
After 10 years in prison a convicted criminal returns home and begins to clean house by taking revenge on those who put him away.
After serving 10 years in prison for a botched robbery that ended in murder, John Falcon (Nick Principe – Laid to Rest) is released and sets about getting revenge on the people that set him up. This includes his brother Sam (Todd Farmer – Jason X), who got John’s wife Darling (Robin Sydney – The Gingerdead Man) hooked on hard drugs and has kept her under his control ever since. Unfortunately, John has other things on his mind than brotherly love as he sweeps through his old gang dishing out cold and brutal revenge in his search for his wife and his ultimate prize – his brother’s head.
There are a couple of remarkable things about Vengeance Road; firstly, this film doesn’t muck about. It’s a simple and straightforward revenge story that has been told dozens of times in various ways but here there is no padding on it at all – we’re introduced to John Falcon on his last day in prison, where he shakes somebody down for two packets of cigarettes that are owed to him (“You owe, you pay” is John’s mantra throughout the film) just so we know he means business. After that display of being in total control of things the film is simply John going back over his old stomping ground and seeking out his old gang, interspersed with flashback footage of the robbery and how John was left hanging after several people were killed in what was supposed to be a straightforward cash grab from a Hollywood mogul.
The second remarkable thing is how it replicates the feel of 1970s grindhouse without actually trying too hard. The whole faux grindhouse thing of the past few years has proved to be something of a mixed bag, being both too slick for the old-school fans and too cheap looking to bring in a new audience raised on big-budget blockbusters and HD visuals, and for every Machete or The Devil’s Rejects that got it right there was a Dear God No! or a Gutterballs that just seemed to miss the point and suck all of the fun out of the experience. Vengeance Road doesn’t seem to try too hard – there are no false scratches, missing reels or unrealistic action scenes – and yet it manages to evoke the aura of ‘70s exploitation with some quality camerawork and decent (but not OTT) gore. Only a few (fake) blood splashes on the camera lens and some totally gratuitous – and fun – sex scenes that border on softcore really give a clue as to where the roots of this film really are. There is also a Charles Manson vibe going on with the robbery scene – where the gang are wearing black metal corpse paint – and Sam’s hold over people that adds an authentic edge to things where it could have easily have drifted into parody.
But where Vengeance Road really comes apart is, ironically, with the one thing that most ‘70s grindhouse movies were known for and that is the acting. Yes, if you go into this expecting anything near an award-winning performance then you’re going to be sorely disappointed but even armed with the knowledge of where this film is coming from the distinct lack of charisma on display is disheartening. Nick Principe has to carry the bulk of the film on his very broad shoulders, and as a menacing presence he totally succeeds, but his line delivery is almost painful to listen to as he tries to dish out one-liners after blowing people’s heads apart or ripping out tongues. Todd Farmer fares a lot better and provides some comic relief with his wide-eyed mania, seemingly managing to gauge what type of film he’s in whilst trying to be as broad as possible.
But all in all, Vengeance Road is a revenge story that goes in a straight line from point A to point B without ever really feeling the need to insert a political sub-plot, extended backstories or unnecessary character development. It looks pretty good, with some interesting camerawork and – for a change – a bright colour palette, and is all done and dusted in under 75 minutes so in the plethora of mean-spirited modern grindhouse tributes Vengeance Road shines a little brighter than most but ultimately there’s nothing here that hasn’t been done before or better.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Chris Ward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszFJHnpNzqHh6gswQ0Srpi5E&feature=player_embedded&v=Z2vq4CudKRk
Originally published January 5, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
