Writer: John Davies (Screenplay)
Starring: Rutger Hauer, Pasha Ebrahimi, Robb Wells, Brian Downey, Gregory Smith, Nick Bateman, Drew O’Hara, Molly Dunsworth, Jeremy Akerman
Plot: A homeless vigilante blows away crooked cops, paedophile Santas, and other scumbags with his trusty pump-action shotgun.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Too Extreme
Story: Hobo with a Shotgun starts by showing the Hobo (Hauer) coming to a town that the sign itself calls Scumtown. He stumbles across Drake (Downey) as he is taking part in a game where they kill a man in one of the most gruesome possible way, forcing all the by standers cheer. Drake’s boys Slick (Smith) and Ivan (Bateman) run a violence club where murdering people is considered normal as well as drug use is encouraged.
Having enough of what he sees he stands up to protect Abby (Dunsworth) making Slick a citizen’s arrest. Going to the Chief of Police (Akerman) he finds out just how corrupt the town really is when he is sent a message by Slick and Ivan the princes of the town. Our Hobo who is just trying to save up for a lawnmower finally achieves his financial goal but when a robbery happens during the purchase he grabs a shotgun and takes a stand against the criminals before going on a full rampage around the town demanding a change. The rampage leads Drake to put a bounty on the Hobo’s head and Abby joins him as he tries to escape from the town once and for all.
Hobo with a Shotgun is a story that is very simple to follow, it pays homage to the Grindhouse with the level of violence in the film. Say this I can’t help but wonder why we need this film to be that violent it takes everything we have had from the ‘Grindhouse’ films and pushed it to the next level, trying to re-launch the love affair that particular audience had with it. I feel the story is acceptable for the genre but really it is made for such a particular audience and is hard to compare to higher standard films of today. (5/10)
Actor Review
Rutger Hauer: Hobo a man who just wants to come to the city to make enough money to buy a lawnmower and start his own business, he ends up going up against all the criminals with a shotgun trying to sort the town out. Rutger does a good job as the man you just don’t mess with. (7/10)
Molly Dunsworth: Abby prostitute that the Hobo saves and becomes friends with who eventually wants to leave the city with him to start their business. Molly does a good job as the damsel in distress. (7/10)
Brian Downey: Drake leader of the city who does what he wants when he wants to whoever he wants. He kills anyone who gets in the way and puts a bounty on the head of the Hobo. Brian makes for the over the top villain well. (6/10)
Gregory Smith, Nick Bateman: Slick, Ivan the princes of the city who do what they want because daddy Drake will protect them, the send the first message to the Hobo before getting involved in confrontation with them. This two both give a very cheesy performance which their characters ask for though. (6/10)
Support Cast: Hobo with a Shotgun has a supporting cast that does involve a lot of characters that will die in gruesome ways too.
Director Review: Jason Eisener – Jason does a good job making this film to be what it is meant to be nothing more or nothing less. (7/10)
Action: Hobo with a Shotgun has plenty of over the top action with body parts flying everywhere. (8/10)
Comedy: Hobo with a Shotgun you do have to laugh at the mental over the top kills. (6/10)
Thriller: Hobo with a Shotgun doesn’t really pull you in as much as it should though. (3/10)
Settings: Hobo with a Shotgun creates a very dire looking setting for all the action to take place. (8/10)
Special Effects: Hobo with a Shotgun uses very good special for the kills making them all over the top and gory. (9/10)
Suggestion: Hobo with a Shotgun is one for the fans of the genre only. (Grindhouse Fans)
Best Part: Robbery snapping time.
Worst Part: Too much for casual fans.
Action Scene Of The Film: Final showdown.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $700,000
Budget: $3 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes
Tagline: Delivering justice, one shell at a time…
Trivia: Rutger Hauer lost his balance and fell when climbing out of the Shopping Cart. Director Jason Eisener decided to keep it in the movie.
Overall: This one for true diehard Grindhouse fans to enjoy in a modern cinema world where these don’t get made as much.
Rating