You don't have to look much further than the title for the film's plot. A Hobo (Rutger Hauer) jumps off a train in a small town hoping to start a new life. His choice of stops isn't the best; he ends up in a town overrun with crime and corruption. Criminals are the top dogs with crime boss Drake (Brian Downey) leading the pack. As violence erupts around him, the Hobo decides to take to the streets with a shotgun.
What follows is close to an hour and a half of gore-filled violence. The film is constantly trying to top itself; more blood, more gore, more everything. The only thing missing is more action and more storytelling, but that's sort of the point. Hobo With A Shotgun is going for the same style and form factor as violent 70's exploitation films. And it almost succeeds brilliantly, were it not for a few major issues.
Though it captures the gore and energy of the films, at times it tries too hard. In trying to emulate the genre, director Jason Eisener and writer John Davies got a little too far. At times, it seems like they watched a bunch of older films, broke down a few key scenes and set out to amp them up. As wild as grindhouse films got, there were limits. Hobo With A Shotgun goes too far, too fast. By the middle of them film, the antics go a little too far. I compare it to the episode of Seinfeld where George tries to go out on a high note. Hobo With A Shotgun hits the high note early, then doesn't know when to leave. I can write off some issues as genre points, but can't forgive the pacing. It is fun, but the constant topping gets awkward.
Although it goes for a 70's look, Hobo With A Shotgun was shot with a digital camera. The cinematography is great. Actually, it is almost too good for what the film is going for. I especially liked the lighting; it manages to catch some great shadows and depth. The film's look was "downgraded" in post, adding some over-saturation and other artifacts to make it look like it was filmed in the 70's, though it is clear there is some talent behind the camera. I was just as impressed with the post work, especially since it goes far enough without going too far. Now if only the same was true for the movie.
The film comes packed with extras. The headlining feature is "Shotgun Mode." This is an overlay that runs during the film. At certain times, a reticule will appear on the screen. If you press (Enter) on your remote, you're presented with short vignettes describing different aspects of the film. I loved this feature and didn't mind the constant interruption. All of the clips are available in one reel if you would rather avoid disrupting the film.
Both commentary tracks are a lot of fun, and are a great companion to "More Blood, More Heart," a lengthy "Making of..." feature. The first track features Jason Eisener and Rutger Hauer. The second drops Hauer and adds John Davies, producer Rob Cotterill and David Brunt (who starred as the "Hobo" in the original trailer). The best part about both tracks is the amount of excitement and energy coursing through the speakers. It's always fun to hear people who love what they're doing and have fun with it. It is a bunch of guys who got to make a movie.
Eisener, Davies and Hauer also show up in separate interviews for Fangoria an HDNet. If you listen to the commentaries, there's little reason to watch either interview, though if you'd rather have a quick version of the commentaries, this is a good place to look.
The package is rounded out with a set of deleted scenes, trailers and an alternate ending. There's also a short bit of test footage using the Red Camera, which is cool for aspiring filmmakers who are interested in seeing what the Red can do, though most viewers may pass over the extra. It's a cool extra for the Blu-ray, though hardcore film geeks will already know where to get Red footage.
Finally, there's the trailer that started it all. Hobo With A Shotgun was originally a trailer entered in a contest for "fake trailers" for Grindhouse. The trailer won and Eisener was eventually approached about turning the trailer into a real movie.
The trailer (which you can find online) is probably a great place for anyone to start. If you can watch the trailer and decide you want more, Hobo With A Shotgun is for you. If it leaves you undecided, you're probably best either renting it or skipping it since the trailer is exactly what you're getting with the film.
