Haggard

Haggard is a great example of how, if one has an idea, a video camera, and few friends, a movie can be made. Directed by skateboarder Bam Margera of 'CKY' and 'Jackass' fame, this is a movie shoddily filmed on handie cams and stars himself and his mates (most of whome have also been affiliated with CKY or Jackass). The story revolves around Ryan Dunn and his serial cheating girlfriend, which is supposidly based on a true story - in short, this film is bloody funny and if I was you, I would attempt to see it at all costs. This is not Shakespare in Love and this is not the Shawshank Redemption, if it had been made half as seriously as either of these two films then it would have been crap... but seen as they set out to make a crap movie then its actually pretty good.

8 out of 10.

In honor of the late Ryan Dunn, I felt I needed to watch Haggard: The Movie. I watched the sequel to the film made six years after this, Minghags, and really enjoyed it. Seeing this one, it clears up a lot of the confusion I had with Minghags. I wasn't aware this was the predecessor to the film, but seeing it now, really makes me take a liking to Bam Margera's independent style of filmmaking.

Before Jackass, Bam Margera took part in a series of videos he called CKY (named after the band). He wound up making several volumes of him and his friends, like Raab Himself, Ryan Dunn, Rake Yohn, etc, goofing around and being themselves. Then he went on to be a member of Jackass and do his own MTV shows like Bam's Unholy Union and Viva La Bam. Haggard: The Movie was the middle of the road coming out in 2003. A year after the first Jackass movie.

It's supposedly a true story remade with the characters in the movie are played by Bam's friends. Ry (Dunn) is upset when he finds out his girlfriend Glauren (Rivell) wants time apart. He then realizes that she is hanging out with a heavy-metal punk nicknamed Hellboy (Yohn). To help their friend out, Valo (Margera), Falcone (DiCamillo), and Raab Himself (Raab) all try to vandalize Glauren's house. But Ry is still sinking deeper and deeper into a mental depression.

The humor is totally up my alley with lots of rough housing, name calling, and well acted, natural conversations. The movie is not too long or too short. It is perfectly managed. The only downside is it has one montage too many. Many of the montages in the movie are set to skateboarders with rock music by CKY, Gnarkill, and H.I.M. in the background. I have no problem with any of the music played, but there are at least four montages in the film that go on for way too long.

Other than that, the film is pretty close to perfect. I was under the assumption that since most of these guys are used to doing dangerous stunts they couldn't really do justice acting in a full length movie. I was way off. They pulled if off perfectly. In no way was I expected Bam and Dunn could both act as well as they did.

Between the soundtrack, the filming style, the humor, the acting, and the story, Haggard: The Movie wins in every category. Except the fact that the number of montages can be tedious, and the subplot of an invention doesn't really take off as much, but we see it done with more in the sequel. Haggard: The Movie is not only a great film, but a great way to remember an amazing actor and daredevil.

Starring: Ryan Dunn, Jenn Rivell, Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo, Chris Raab, Rake Yohn, and Vincent Margera.

If you are looking for a movie that doesn't take itself seriously... than Haggard is for you. I must say before i write anything more, that if you have not seen any of the CKY (Camp Kill Yourself) videos than the movie most likely won't be AS funny. My advice is to watch a few clips of those videos that Bam and his friends made. Haggard does not take itself seriously AT all, and that was never the purpose. Throughout the movie you will have random moments that have nothing to do with the plot, which may get annoying but its nothing that is out of control. Even through all that the plot does stay focused and the story of Ryan Dunn's character does unfold quite nicely. This plot i have been told is based off a true story (for the most part)of Ryan Dunn's ex-girlfriend. Brandon Dicamillo is by far the best character in the movie. He has a lot of talent and knows how to make people laugh. He stole the movie if you ask me. Overall I love this movie for its simplicity and straight up weirdness. Its a Bam movie people, its not going to be normal. Haggard is filled with hilarious quotes that my friends and I constantly used since the first time we saw it. I've seen the movie 6-7 times and still find new things every time. The soundtrack is just as good. Everything from Gnar Kill to New Order and some techno. Just don't go into the movie with high expectations, let it all unfold and then judge it for what it is.

I watched this back in 2006 and I got to say this is one of the funniest films I've seen in such a long time. Bam Margera's (technically) directorial debut known as "Haggard" really delivers something special and original to us as it's really a romantic comic tragedy, but made by either Jackass stars or CKY stars (if you're fans with any of them...) Haggard tells the story of Ryan Dunn (playing himself) who gets dumped by the love of his life 'Glauren' for some dude named 'Hellboy' and ever since the devastating news he swears revenge and gets his pals Valo and Falcone to do his dirty word (some of that is pun) at Glauren's house. It's such a ridiculous concept but somehow I have a feeling that we can all relate to this film due to losing someone we love and having mixed emotions over it.

What I love about this film is that it's a film clearly made just for fun. Sure it was funded and well planned/structured, however you can tell they had a good time making it and most of the characters are played by either friends or family of Bam's. But there's something personal behind it and I didn't realise until now that the story is based on Ryan's actual love life where something like that actually happened. You really feel sorry for Ryan and his pain behind it all and for that you're keen to know what happens until the very end.

What I didn't like about the film and unfortunately this happens a lot. I didn't particularly like the skateboarding montages, and I felt that Bam needed to remind us that they're also skilled skaters as well as actors. Is this CKY I'm watching now or a narrative-film? I'm a massive fan of HIM and thought that the music choice was incredible so there's a positive about those random montages throughout the feature.

Overall a fantastic film about love and anger, dealing with the sadness that we can all relate to if we ever had someone to brake our hearts, but still laugh out loud to those lovable characters who either get p***ed on, smear s*** on the door, videotape girl's under wears in their house.

The first time I saw this movie I was like what the hell is this.. but there were definitely some laughs. Watched it again and its still pretty funny. I'm a big Bam, CKY, HIM, Ryan Dunn fan, so this movie basically covers it all. Sure its a dumb movie..it's not supposed to be any kind of masterpiece, but..if you feel like watching a weird, moderately entertaining movie..go for this one. Raab and Dico have pretty hilarious characters and Bam and Ryan are a little more..normal..sort of, but whatever they're just cool people in general. This movie is like a little Jackass mixed with some random stuff mixed with some cool time-lapse cinematography set to some good HIM songs. So come on, watch it at least once.