Stars Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Marc Blucas, Clark Johnson, Mustafa Shakir, Geno Segers, with Don Johnson and Udo Kier Directed by S Craig Zahler Writer / director Craig Zahler delivered the very solid Bone Tomahawk, merging the western genre with a slow burn horror. His second directorial effort is very much a grindhouse movie that may be perceived as an action flick, thanks to the title. The titular brawl is where the movie heads but like the grindhouse movies it emulates, it takes its time getting there. The movie kicks off with Bradley Thomas (a surprisingly excellent Vince Vaughn) losing his job, getting home to find out his wife (Jennifer Carpenter) is cheating on him and he has brutal temper to boot… BUT he appears to have some self control and manages to deal with this situation. He takes on a new job as a drug runner and within a few months, manages to turn his life around, he’s working on his marriage and the couple are expecting a baby. When his buddy Gil (Marc Blucas) gets involved with some Mexicans drug dealers, the run goes wrong fast and Bradey ends up in a mid-security prison. This all takes close to over 40 minutes but it establishes Bradley’s character and motivations. When the call comes for Bradley to make his way to a maximum security prison where the titular cell block is located, the movie revels in its grindhouse roots. Vaughn is almost like a revelation as he carries the movie on his broad muscle-bound shoulders. He started out as a pretty good dramatic actor with some comedic leanings, and has made a career doing a string of comedies with few dramatic turns over the last few years. His performance here is absorbing and eye-catching, thanks to that physical make-over he sports. Add to that the fight scenes under Zahler’s direction, and you’ve got an superior flick that elevates the flick above it’s grindhouse leanings. The rest of the cast are barely a blemish, all in excellent supportive turns no matter how small the role such as Don Jonhson appearing late in the second half as the warden of the maximum security prison, or the iconic Udo Kier as one of the prisoners in Cell Block 99. Overall, Vaughn’s knockout performance holds the movie together and allows Zahler to deliver a powerfully dramatic film with solid action beats. The movie lives up to its title and delivers on its promise in a near satisfactory way. The ultimate conclusion may be a divisive one but it lives up to its grindhouse roots, closing out the only way it can. Rating ***1/2 / 5 Find the best online deals here. | Barnes and Noble | Google Play Store | Book Depository Discover more about the books here. Please Support.
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