Hobo with a Shotgun Review

WARNING: SPOILERS

Originally conceived in 2007 by Canadian filmmaker Jason Eisener as a two minute long entry for a “Grindhouse” trailer contest, Hobo with a Shotgun is a reminder of what a movie should be: entertaining. It’s definitely not going to win any awards and it’s definitely not for everyone, but for those looking for over the top action and tongue in cheek humour, the ludicrous and violent world of Hobo with a Shotgun is the perfect example of cinematic escapism. 

Starring Dutch actor Rutger Hauer (of Blade Runner fame), we find him here as an old, slightly senile, slightly unhinged homeless person who’s been downtrodden and disrespected his entire life. We witness the horrors of Hope Town through the eyes of the Hobo, and we are introduced to the main villains of the film early on, and they are all suitably twisted and evil. The Drake (Brian Downey) and his two sons Ivan (Nick Bateman) and Slick (Gregory Smith) are all murderous sociopaths, and together, they control Hope Town with fear and intimidation, and when that isn’t enough, with violence. The imagery in this movie is, as expected, graphic, and to viewers unaccustomed to such fare, quite shocking. Some of the foul people the Hobo runs into include a rapist police officer, a man who pays homeless people to fight each other and torture themselves in front of a camera, and a paedophile in a Santa Claus costume. Rip and Grinder, henchmen of Drake’s who are collectively known as the Plague, are two of the most violent and sadistic characters ever conceived on film. Nothing appears to be taboo in this film and no one is safe, not even women or school buses full of children.

The Hobo is torn between staying uninvolved and pursuing his dream of mowing lawns one day and standing up and fighting back to avenge all the citizens whose lives the Drake and his sons have destroyed. Eventually, the Hobo can’t just stand aside and watch, and with his shotgun and prostitute Abby along for the ride, he embarks on a bloody journey of retribution that can only end in one way. There is some basic social commentary on the pros and cons of vigilantism and the necessity to stand up for what’s right when no one else will that manifests itself throughout  the film, but there’s always a self-parodying undertone throughout; this movie clearly does not take itself too seriously. There are also a number of intentionally hilarious scenes and lines from this film that bring another layer of entertainment to the viewer, most of them playing on the clichés and stereotypes of the genre and B-movies in general.

The main cast of Hobo with a Shotgun does its job well for the most part. Rutger Hauer is simply excellent in a surprisingly emotional performance as a Hobo whose experiences have forced him to become cynical and disillusioned with the cruelty of the world. His naive attempts to hold on to hope and save Abby and himself from their harsh realities are oddly touching. All the villains are appropriately sinister and demented, and Gregory Smith, who some might  recognize as the former star of teen drama Everwood, impresses the most as Slick, the favourite and heir of the Drake’s two sons, as he takes on a surprisingly different role for someone with his track record. There is also a brief cameo appearance of George Stroumboulopoulos, a well known Canadian TV personality, as a news anchor who meets his demise at the hands of Ivan and Slick.

Although the film begins to drag and wear out its welcome towards the end, it does a better job than most in toeing the line between graphic absurdity and valid entertainment. For what it is, the low budget Hobo with a Shotgun is a surprisingly well done homage that perfectly captures the outrageous camp style and over the top melodrama of the genre, and Jason Eisener displays potential of a bright future with this film.

B-

Trailer:

Original Trailer:

Movie info:

Runtime: 86 minutes

Certification: R

Cast: Rutger Hauer, Brian Downey, Molly Dunsworth, Gregory Smith, Nick Bateman

Director: Jason Eisener

Screenplay: John Davies, Jason Eisener, Rob Cotterill

Cinematography: Karim Hussain

Distributed by: Alliance Films (Canada), Magnet Releasing (USA)