6/3/20 - VFW (2020) - 7-/10

No. This is not for everyone. It is nostalgia soaked and blood splattered 80s action romp brought to us now. But for me, I loved it. It is insane, it is gratuitous, but it never strays from the path it has chosen and never doesn’t know exactly what it is. The tale of old vets being waylaid by zombie-esque junkies is grainy and bleakly zany, but it never pushes the emotions, characters, action, or tone beyond its Grindy roots. That is a boon rather than hindrance, as its lack of overreaching let it flesh out its best elements to their fullest.

Stephen Lang is actually damn good. The perfect presence and intensity. In fact, much of this film is well cast. And this rogues gallery (George Wendt is even here!) figuratively and little kick ass in their Assault on Bar 65 take, and that is pretty fitting with the heavy Carpenter vibe (And we seriously need to delve into how much John Carpenter has spawned an almost entire new genre over the past decade or so… at some point).

This is not the horror or spectacular quality that a Green Room has, but it is the darkly risible romp of a From Dusk Till Dawn. Hobo with a Shotgun cocktail, a shot of Robocop 2 chaser, and 3 fingers of Gran Torino, while 78’s Inglorious Bastards is playing sums it up. Its over the top, but not when it shouldn’t be. When it needs you to be engaged, on board, and feeling it, its leans on its stars and keeps its military tightness. But sometimes heads need to explode and blood needs to bleed. It is what you want and it is exactly what you get. Fun and fury. Fire it up!

PS. Dora Madison is awesome. Her part is small, but memorable and I want more!