Review of VFW (2019) by Naomi_G — 15 Feb 2020

If I'm not mistaken, 'Fangoria' is the name of a horror/special effects magazine; apparently they helped produce 'VFW'. Anyway, that should give you an idea of what to expect. Also, be aware that 'VFW' is a cell phone film (movies that look like they're shot and produced with cell phones + selfie sticks and/or look better on a cell phone); just in case you have an aversion to certain types of cinematography.

I'm sure everyone involved with the movie, if confronted about the overt politicism of the film, will say it's just an action flick, but the movie certainly espouses a right wing conservatist view of homelessness and unemployment; I had to bring that up because it's practically all the main characters talk about.

The area the film seems to be set in is LA, and it's very sad that the lack of jobs, affordable housing, and social services has lead to one of the world's largest populations of the homeless. However, for 'VFW', which appears to be set in LA's future, poverty is caused by "the opioid crisis" - I guess math and figuring the cost of using drugs wasn't the film writer(s)(')(s)(') strong point.

After that's set up, the movie turns into one of those FPS single scene shooter games where the object is to kill as many "druggies" as possible. Blech! Doesn't seem like Hollywood can go much lower or hit further below the belt.

Because of all of the right wing preachy justification of violence, the movie's violent scenes are, well, like watching a bad case of child abuse. Well, guess that ought to help define what kind of audience might find the movie to be even slightly tolerable.