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Bounty Killer Review

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Director: Henry Saine.

Starring: Matthew Marsden, Kristanna Loken, Christian Pitre, Gary Busey, Kevin McNally, Barak Hardley, Beverly D’Angelo, Eve.

Certificate: 18.

Running Time: 89 minutes.

Synopsis: Bounty killers compete for body count, fame and a fat stack of cash. They’re ending the plague of corporate greed and providing the survivors of the apocalypse with retribution. This is the age of the BOUNTY KILLER.

Set in an outlandish future where the bankers and corporate fat cats responsible for the collapse of the economy are hunted down and killed for cash, there is much to like about director Henry Saine’s latest indie offering. BOUNTY KILLER makes no apologies for its diabolical direction and nor should it as we follow ridiculously-named superstar slayers Drifter (Matthew Marsden) and Mary Death (Christian Pitre) as they weald an assortment of weaponry on their cartoon violent quest. Of course, it’s absurd in its social commentary, although I’m sure many of us have fantasised about the chance of crossing paths with the rich guys that hold us to ransom behind the desk and then have the temerity to suggest they’re doing us a favour.

There are a number of stunning stunt set-pieces and fabulous fight sequences to put most of Hollywood’s generic genre output to shame. As the bazillion bullets, buckets of blood and human limbs fly at the screen, it’s difficult not to get carried away in the chaos of some genuinely jaw-dropping and exaggerated kills. Even some corny dialogue and cringeworthy flashbacks – courtesy of a screenplay by Saine, Jason Dodson and Colin Ebeling – are forgivable when delving into the twisted relationship of likeable leads Marsden and a scantily clad Pitre.

Given the meagre budget, it’s difficult to see what more director Saine could have delivered with a blockbuster pay-packet aside from an A-list cast and a solid script polish. Thankfully, both leads do just fine as the skilfully professional killer couple in what must surely be destined to become a camp cult classic, aided by some crazy cameos from the likes of Gary Busey and an hilariously foul-mouthed Kevin McNally. It’s just a shame there’s not more from those two in particular, as we all know more Busey is a good thing, right?

There is no getting away from the fact that Saine wants his BOUNTY KILLER to belong in the same post-apocalyptic wastelands as George Miller’s MAD MAX trilogy, most notably the middle mayhem-filled masterpiece, THE ROAD WARRIOR. And, in fact, he almost succeeds with a concept so outrageous and at times positively ingenious in its sheer audaciousness and ambition. It also revels in the same insanity as Robert Rodriguez’s exploitation actioners MACHETE, MACHETE KILLS and the striking visual artistry of SIN CITY, while taking inspiration from the Western vibe of Quentin Tarantino’s lethal double-act, KILL BILL. To put it another way, think Russ Meyer meets Chuck Jones amongst a mountain of misogyny and you’re probably only half of the way there! This indie gem is a genuine pleasure and is impossible not to have a blast with.

[usr=3] BOUNTY KILLER is released in select UK cinemas on Friday 10th January and is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday 27th January.

Craig was our great north east correspondent, proving that it’s so ‘grim up north’ that losing yourself in a world of film is a foregone prerequisite. He has been studying the best (and often worst) of both classic and modern cinema at the University of Life for as long as he can remember. Craig’s favorite films include THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, JFK, GOODFELLAS, SCARFACE, and most of John Carpenter’s early work, particularly THE THING and HALLOWEEN.

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