Hobo with a Shotgun-the review

In 2007 Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino revived the "grindhouse" style of B-movies with their release of the Grindhouse double feature (Planet Terror and Death Proof). These films brought back to life the traditional exploitation films of a previous film generation.  Exploitation films are not for everyone-they often contain highly suggestive scenes with over the top gore and violence, nudity, sex, and an overall brashness.  These films paint an unbelievable, bizarre picture of the world and are  usually ridiculous.  Fans of the genre find themselves laughing hysterically at geysers of blood or fake limbs being blown away.

The Grindhouse films began and end with fictional movie trailers and advertisements, one of them being a trailer for Hobo with a Shotgun.  Another of the fictionalized movie trailers to be converted to an actual film is Machete.  The movie is exactly what it promises to be about: a hobo with a shotgun.  Rutger Hauer stars as the Hobo who arrives to Hope Town on a train.  Hope Town or Scum Town is ruled by The Drake (Brian Downey) and his two sons-Slick (Gregory Smith) the favored and hopeful replacement for his father in his empire of terror, and Ivan (Nick Bateman), the idiot.  The hobo's first taste of life in Hope Town shows the Drake's brother being murdered in the street by his brother, Drake, and his nephews.  The town is forced to watch his brutal decapitation, reinforcing the Drake's hold over the city.  This is just the beginning of the gore in this 1 hour and 26 minute film.

The hobo saves his money and even earns some from a depraved street criminal filming hobos performing various degrading acts.  He arrives at a pawn shop to make a bizarre purchase (I won't spoil it) and finds himself involved in a robbery.  Instead of making his intended purchase he opts for a shotgun and becomes our vigilante hero.  After the hobo becomes famous for his brand of vigilante justice, the Drake declares war on hobos and the violence escalates to its gory conclusion.

Some folks might complain about the physics of the ridiculous and unlikely blood spurts and patterns or the randomness of some parts of the movie or even the cheese levels of the dialogue, but they would be missing the point entirely.  These are the things that make the film-these are the things that most fans of the genre are looking for and expect from this movie, and Hobo delivers.  If you're the kind who likes a good chuckle during a horror flick and you like your films on the bloody side, be sure to check out Hobo with a Shotgun.