Hobo with a Shotgun

***1/2 out of (****)

Eisener's exploitative 80's grindhouse throwback, "Hobo with a Shotgun", showcasing its brutality shamelessly, is easily the best grindhouse film to ever grace the silver screen. "Grindhouse", "Machete", and "Drive Angry 3D" are all strong staples to the beloved subgenre, but "Hobo" is where its at. It's bigger, louder, and prouder. In all honesty, this is one of the goriest films I've seen in a while, and it takes a lot for me to say that because even the goriest Saw film doesn't fulfill my bloody craving. The best part about "Hobo" is not only doesn't it play it safe, but there's so much meaning, and depth underneath it, and is executed so strongly that the message never becomes lost or preachy.

"Hobo" revolves around well... a hobo. An anonymous one at that who witnesses the catastrophes of the city, and decides to fight back.

First of all, the plot is just ingenious. A hobo who's tired of getting picked on and besmirched by the townspeople decides to take a stand. Not only is it a badass story, but can't we all relate to the plot? Haven't we all been pushed around too long, and just wanted to do something. To be something truly special. Also, while the deaths are pretty sick, there's more meat on these bones. The film relies on what a film should rely on. Its characters. The relationship between Abby and the hobo is a strong one. I actually cared about these two. What does it say if a film of the title "Hobo with a Shotgun" has more character development than 95% of the garbage being released today?

To put the icing on the cake, the production values are sweet. This film has a superb nostalgic look, and it's one of the most colorful and vibrant movies projected on screen. But why are we here? For the deaths! And boy, do they not disappoint. Eating glass, decapitating heads, and shots to the head are not even the goriest segments. Actually, they're the tamest. Not only that but almost every five minutes there's blood. Whether a dead body in a shot, random blood, or a kill occurring. This is just a huge blood bath. And a great one at that.

Also, what I loved about this movie is the lack of gratuitous nudity. I hate how almost every grindhouse flick has to have the need to throw in random boobs or sex in the film. I know it's part of the titillation, but it's rather absurd, and feels out of context. "Hobo" had one scene exposing those jugs, and it actually fit the mood because of its humor. However, it was just THAT scene and wasn't littered throughout the movie.

Ignore those reviewers saying they were "disappointed" because it wasn't "what they were expecting". If you're expecting a good time, dammit, you're going to get one. Two strong leads, heaps and heaps of blood, a slick story, and some solid production values. You're going to tell me that doesn't even get you excited in the slightest? "Hobo with a shotgun" might just be the best movie I'll see this year. The others have just not delivered on what they promised. How sad is it to see a movie with this title can actually be the best movie of the year, when probably half of the Oscar choices will be pretentious dribble. Don't even think about seeing this film. Just do it. Go ahead, I'll wait.

After using a shotgun hanging in a pawnshop to stop an armed robbery, a homeless man turns celebrated vigilante, much to the annoyance of the corrupt police force in this Canadian action thriller. The film began life as a fake movie trailer and watching the trailer and film back-to-back, it is quite remarkable how much the filmmakers manage to stretch the original premise. The story is hardly airtight with unanswered questions about why the store has loaded weapons on display and how the he keeps accumulating countless bullets really standing out, but it is all a lot of fun with Rutger Hauer perfectly cast in the lead role, several imaginative gory death/maim scenes, plus the filmmakers' acute eye for colour. With lots of neon purple, pink, yellow and other glaring colours throughout, the film possesses a deliciously exaggerated visual look that perfectly complements its over-the-top story. A little too much time is spent on Hauer befriending and conversing with a prostitute who (of course) has a heart of gold, but the prostitute subplot gives the film a welcome 'Taxi Driver'-like quality, with Hauer trying to clean the streets much like Travis Bickle. Where the film really rises above the ordinary though is in its acute depiction of a society that neglects and abuses the homeless. Sure, the way they are mistreated is really overdone, but the satirical edge still sticks.

BRILLIANT IN EVERY WAY!!! Hobo with a Shotgun is a fantastic Vigilante Thriller that could've came out in like 1980 & it's BEAUTIFUL lol!!! Sleazy,ulta violent,brutal,funny,crazy but also has Heart. Watched this so many times as it's so much crazy fun & RUTGER HAUER is BRILLIANT, wow what a performance!!! Hes so good as The homeless old guy looking for a new place to call home. The new town is like an apocalyptic urban ghetto it's full of danger & gangs & sickos & RUTGER has had enough of all the evil around him & gets a Shotgun & delivers his own Justice & it's BEAUTIFUL. The music is outstanding throughout the whole movie IT'S excellent & very 80s & the violence is Awesome & the Hospital scene is BRILLIANT!!! This is the a definite throwback to to the very old skook glory days of "anything goes" shocking Cinema of the Grindhouse days or the gritty & extremely violent world of "Exploitation" Cinema. Hobo is like a long lost "Troma" film from say 1983, this movie has that feel & look & is just a wild ride Vigilante Thriller that turns into a blood soaked splatter-punk flick like "Robocop 2" & it's a glorious gory MASTERPIECE.

Rutger really gives a career best performance as the "Hobo" & gives his lost character a depth & heart & a decency that could've all been lost in a "Grindhouse" style homage flick but with an intense actor like Rutger he brings so much more to the role, he's not just an angry vigilante, he's also a man lost in a disgusting world where everyone seems so nasty & evil. Rutger brings his Hobo to life with a rawness & you can't help but feel sorry for this down & out guy surrounded by scum. There's a serious story within all the bloody violence & craziness & Rutger's performance makes you wonder what the world is coming to? Although everything is hyper-crazy & exaggerated for the entertainment value it's all sick stuff that really does happen in real life.

The use of colour in it's cinematography is beautiful, very colourful & vibrant & sharpens the grit & grime of the urban hell-hole that our Hobo hero is surviving in & every scene is beautifully shot. I cherish this ultra-violent vigilante action Thriller & i thank this low-budget MASTERPIECE for getting me properly into the great "Rutger Hauer" as I've always liked him as an actor from Blade Runner, among a few others but it was performance in "Hobo" that really made me a Fan of the actor & got me checking out his older films & discovering some real Gems like Split Second, Wedlock, Omega Doom among others, the guy is a legend of Cult Cinema.

"Hobo" is a shockingly violent love-letter to old early 80's sick 'n' twisted Grindhouse films & its glorious.

Rutger Hauer R. I. P was a true legend of Cult Cinema & the straight-to-video B-movie world of films & was a unique presence of screen & is a Cult Hero to us movie geeks!!! I absolutely love Rutger in this Grindhouse Classic "Hobo" & the Awesome 90's Sci-fi Horror-Thriller "Split Second" & of Course the sci-fi Classic "Blade Runner" but he truly was great in pretty much anything he starred in & made the movie better by his screen presence, one of my favourite actors.

Call it grindhouse, exploitation, revenge, garbage or whatever movie - Hobo with a Shotgun is one of those movies you just can like/love to watch if you have a very BIG notion towards bad taste. Hobo with a Shotgun: no p.c.-blabla at all and a guilt pleasure for sure spiced up with a good sweep of good ol' bloody gore - and you get Rutger Hauer too! Yummy.

A homicidal hobo (a well-cast Rutger Hauer) drifts into a hellish town with the intent of purchasing a lawnmower but buys a shotgun instead and proceeds to messily clean up the streets. The film is an over-the-top parody of grindhouse films inspired by one of the 'fake trailers' in the Tarantino and Rodriguez-helmed 'Grindhouse' (2007; itself a parody of the obscure genre). Full of gleeful blood and gore, Hobo won't be to all tastes but is fast moving and splatterly fun. Shot in Nova Scotia, one of the first sanguineous scenes sees the bloody demise of Robb Wells (Trailer Park Boys' 'Ricky') and the lead villain ('The Drake') is Canadian actor Brian Downey (Stanley Tweedle in 'Lexx' (1997)). Cartoonish at times, the film sometimes has the look of a late-night commercial (especially in scenes involving Ivan and Slick, the Drake's murderous sons) but some of the imagery is memorable (in a bargain-basement way) - I especially liked 'The Plague', a pair of armoured, demonic hitmen who appear to battling a giant squid at one point. Good low-brow, high-concept fun for the right crowd (probably boys of all ages) at the right time (probably after midnight).