Bounty Killer
(2013 / USA)
Director Henry Saine
With Matthew Marsden, Christian Pitre, Kristanna Loken,
Barak Hardley, Gary Busey & Beverly D’Angelo
‘‘You’re my fender bender’’
It’s 2042 and the world’s been laid to waste by feuding business corporations, suckled to excess on mother earth’s natural resources. Now the white collar criminals all have a price on their head for the crimes committed. Corporations are no longer king. In this future it pays to be a Bounty Killer, and the queen of the kill is … Mary Death !.
The Post Apocalyptic Action movie is back with a ‘B’ movie bang, and with more than just a blast from the past resurrected dust cloud. ‘Bounty Killer’ hits the waste ground running & doesn’t let off the gas throughout its smile inducing entirety. With a foundation of, ‘Mad Max: The Road Warrior’ (1982), the make up of, ‘Warriors Of The Wasteland’ (1983) & a deliciously doffing deference to, ‘Death Race 2000’ (1975), ‘Bounty Killer’, puts peddle to the metal in a post nuke pleasure pastiche, layered upon a spaghetti western platform & ladled up with lashings of blood letting, Action, Mayhem !.
This neatly realized vision of a post apocalyptic landscape is enhanced with well integrated matte drawn back drops, and its mid movie sequence introducing the nomadic Gypsies, a tribe of professed cannibals and wild savages, as they chase after the protagonists into the wastelands, is a well layered example of such application. An action packed effects sequence well worth anticipating, but cross these Gypsies and your future will be swiftly predetermined !.
The metal steed riding motorcycle horseman of the post apocalypse known as Drifter (Matthew Marsden), is a bounty hunter driven by his need for retribution and redemption. Himself once aligned within the ranks of the white collar free rollers, until the realization of the affect of the all consuming avarice eating away at the world, renounced the Corporation, and ever since the apocalyptic downfall tracks down the egotistical propriety among its surviving hub.
Drifter is the new age future version of Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name, but with the quirkier disposition akin to that of a dialogue dishing Rowdy Roddy Piper from, ‘They Live’ (1988). He may not be chewing gum, but he sure knows how to kick ass !. His ample array of fire power comes side kick supplied by his trusty gun caddy Jack LeMans (Barak Hardley), a jittery hanger on who bathes in the new world rock star limelight emitted by the bounty killers, but who soon earns Drifter’s respect. Caddying up shooting irons for the right range to take down the bad guys, stay the course, and bag the bounty. Drifter is a shooting iron pro, but he only gets his wood out for … Mary Death.
Feature movie newcomer, and super hot starlet of the future, Christian Pitre is the freeze frame bounty killer heroine babe of the piece, Mary Death. Sat back with a beverage in hand you’ll spill your juice as she hit’s the screen just before you do !. Blessed with a fabulous female form to unzip with your eyes and cry with joy as she kicks future butt like Barbarella working out to a Bruce Lee Jeet Kune Do self instructional DVD. With knockout attributed curves and a pair of throat slicing spurs spinning on her heels, Mary Death is well christened, and the lord help all who cross her. This apocalyptic angel of death is a sex popsicle of perdition, dishing out a hell of a lot more than she takes a licking !.
Mary Death and Drifter are a formidable pairing as they join forces to purge the planet of the pre apocalyptic surviving cancer that is The Corporation. A still privileged society protected by the suited and booted armed militia of their matriarch, Catherine (Kristanna Loken). Her yellow tie wearing force headed up by chief cohort Van Sterling, played by the always watch able, out there antics of a beguilingly bonkers Gary Busey. Kristanna Loken’s conceited bitch of a character wants Drifter back in her ranks, and everyone else outside of The Corporation society, Terminated !.
Based upon the Cool graphic novel of the same name, from Robert Kirkman’s (The Walking Dead) Kickstart Production stable, ‘Bounty Killer’ is very much a hyper Cool comic book page to screen translation that works supremely well. On screen graphics etch out indelible imagery to enhance the comic book Fun at opportune times throughout the film. Oft displayed bodily dismemberment, and siphons of blood, paint the screens canvas with such tongue in cheek rapture that even the staunchest of disbelievers viewing will revel in its wry intentions to successfully entertain.
Matthew Marsden makes for a charming hero, and Christian Pitre a lethal, yet lovely heroine. Perfect casting all round & the end credit outtake reel shows just how much fun was had by all in the making of the film.
It has been all too long since a good Post Apocalyptic Action movie has come along, and, ‘Bounty Killer’ is a very good one indeed. Blessed with a decent budget, well done CGI effects and backdrops, along with some very well done practical effects to boot. The future of the Post Nuke movie is looking good, rallied as it was once before it seems, this time in the pre wake of a new, ‘Mad Max’ movie, with the highly anticipated, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ due out in (2015).
Dig out your leathers, stock up on water & fuel, then saddle on up with Drifter & Mary Death for a Post Apocalyptic party that even Prince could not have foretold back in 1999 !.
Movie Rating: 7 /10
Review by Paul Cooke / Source Region 2 Blu-ray - German Steelbook Edition
Bounty Killer (2013)
Director Henry Saine
With Christian Pitre, Matthew Marsden, Kristanna Loken,
Barak Hardley, Gary Busey & Beverly D'Angelo
