Review of Hobo with a Shotgun (2011) by Alex G — 28 Apr 2014

WARNING: This film has a lot of completely disturbing situations.

First I am just going to say this movie is excellent. It is a wild ride from start to finish, you never know what is coming next, and that randomness keeps you on the edge of your seat. The film is very unique, you can tell that from the title, but the part I find very appealing is that the film some how maintains such a low budget look but yet the production value seems so high. This effect really interested me, maintaining an âIndie-likeâ? state but pulling off a really spectacular film.

We start off with our Hobo arriving at a new town via train known as Hope Town, where the sign now reads SCUM Town. This town is overrun with bums, violence, vandalism, and corrupt police officials. Our hobo wants to start his own lawn-mowing business, and who should deny him that dream? The only thing standing in his way is a town full of sin, and he isnâ(TM)t going to stand around and watch. Vigilante Justice anyone?

I had seen the trailer a while back and thought it would be a film that suffered from ETS (Epic Trailer Syndrome.) Where the trailer vastly outweighs the movie in overall enjoyment. I was proven so wrong. I thought this movie was going to be scripted terribly and focused too heavily on violence and gore, when really the excess amounts of both are used to build up characters or support emotions. Itâ(TM)s hard to review a movie you thought would bomb hard, and literally have nothing bad to say about it. I felt it was acted great, scripted fantastically, filmed up to par, and although the plot is so completely off the grid they really make it work. It isnâ(TM)t very often that I find a movie that I enjoy so many aspects of that I have a second viewing in the same night.

The film is simply excellent from the unique plot to the underlying love story, yes I said a love story (who would have seen that coming from the looks of the trailer.) If you can get past the gore and extremely violent aspects of the film I think you will realize what a masterpiece this film really is, so much so that I started caring for multiple characters. I advise this movie to anyone and everyone that is mature enough to view it. The film really does have a little bit of everything for anyone who is willing to give it a chance, and I say take that chance.

RECOMMENDED HIGHLY (Buy, rent, Netflix, however you need to get your hands on this).

10 out of 10 Reels.