Shotgun

My review was written in March 1989 after watching the movie on Raedon video cassette.

"Shotgun" is a lean, mean action pic for video, bringing some good acting and okay technical work to the overworked cops-on-the-vice-beat genre.

Stuart Chapin toplines as Detective Ian Jones, an L. A. cop who gets mighty steamed when his sister, a prostitute, is offed by a sadistic sex maniac. Thrown off the force, he becomes a skip tracer nicknamed Shotgun because of his weapon and his ruthless but efficient methods.

With ex-partner on the force Riff Hutton, Chapin ultimately gets the killer and puts a massive drug ring out of commission. Vigilante payoff scene is something of an anticlimax, but filmmaker Addison Randall keeps things moving otherwise.

Chapin is effective as the antihero, with Hutton (previously teamed with Andy Garcia as test examiner in "Stand and Deliver") scoring as his loyal sidekick.l Poster art and video packaging benefit from spotlighting a beautiful blonde who does not appear in the film proper.

Just like the majority of the reviewers, I caught this little gem late late night (3 a.m) on my local ABC station some years ago. I'am glad that I'm not the only one in the world that has enjoyed this masterpiece. It has all your classic PM Entertainment elements: Hollywood backdrop, angry detectives, car crashes/explosions, unsuspecting hookers, loud screeching guitar solos, machine guns that sound like pistols, but no Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs (j/k). This is probably my favorite movie out of my PM Entertainment video library, the reason, its that damn good!!

Stuart Chapin plays a total badass from beginning to end, his theme song just kicks, "Shotgun...Shotgun Jones". Rif Hutton (the KFC guy :) just tears it up as Chapin's partner, Max Billings, later to be promoted to Det. Sgt. Max Billings. My favorite supporting cast member is probably Broadway Joey, his charm and goofy front tooth will melt your heart away, what more do you want from a adult bookstore clerk?

Favorite scene is probably the night club scene, with the DJ spinning some tight background beats, the scene builds up to an awesome performance by Chapin (I think somebody should of told that guy in the black sweater that people will notice you wearing the same black sweater two nights in a row, keep an eye out for this guy, very crucial in the movie). Favorite line is probably this one, Det. Sgt. Max "KFC" Billings: "You know the streets are starting to call you Shotgun Jones." Shotgun Jones: "Well its better than what they used to call me."

OMG what a classic line!!

I think I should stop before I give away all the juicy stuff, if you like "Shotgun" I highly recommend other PM Entertainment videos such as, "Angels of the City", "Deadly Breed", "Quiet Fire", and the Det. Jon "Welcome Back Kotter" Chance Trilogy, "L.A. Heat", "L.A. Vice", and "Chance". Oh, my second favorite PM movie is "The Art of Dying" with my man Wings Hauser, check it out, another gem from the people of PM.

I loved all these PM Entertainment movies that I went on eBay and bought as many as I could. My friends think I'm a loser for proudly displaying these movies on my TV shelf. But who cares, friends come and go, but I will always have my PM movies with me!! :D

Cowboy charlatan Ian Jones (Stuart Chapin) and his stern cop partner Max Billings (Rif Hutton) must track down a fiendish sex maniac with a lovely penchant for vulnerable whores. Believe it or not...he beats up his victims, who comprise mostly of prostitutes and hookers...to death!

This "Basher" is out for a taste of blood. He revels every second in the pleasure of inflicting pain on others. Among the Basher's victims include...Ian's sister. Yes, one of the hookers happens to be Ian's sister. What a big mistake for the masked murderer! Now, Ian has a dead sister to avenge...

Unfortunately for those two detectives, they must overcome their problems with alcoholism before they can take their jobs seriously. To make matters worse, when Ian's methods have gone too far, he gets suspended from the force for six months. Ian than takes a second job as a "Skip Tracer." This hot tempered ex-cop turned bounty hunter is enjoying every minute of his new occupation.

Now, without having to play by the rules, Ian must continue his pursuit of the Basher. What Ian uncovers though is more egregious... He learns of an underground drug ring operating in Mexico. The drug ring is lead by a wealthy lawyer. He is this twisted lawyer by day...and an evil villain who commands a well-armed fortress South of the Border.

Ian's mission is to terminate this drug emperor and destroy his empire and associates...but could this one antagonistic man be working in conjunction with the Basher?

Admittedly, when I first saw SHOTGUN, I was anticipating a high adrenaline thriller. Of course, I was crestfallen once again. The most distinct problem with SHOTGUN is that it never holds the viewer's interest. Though the film tries to be sleazy, it teases the viewer more than draws them into the story. The film quality stinks too! Expect lots of laughs in this movie though. There is occasional, unintentional hilarity in this film to keep connoisseurs mildly satisfied. One of the most amusing scenes was the depiction of police brutality. I mean, come on, the actors were not even touching let alone hitting each other. The dancing and party club scenes also evoked a reminder of how the decade of the 80s seemed so...Eighties. Who could forget the irritating rock music, especially the gratuitous heavy metal guitar, which began to get on my nerves?! Also notice how the same damn helicopter keeps appearing in virtually every other PM Entertainment motion picture!

Chapin (who kind of resembles Italian exploitation actor Al Cliver) looks and acts like the typically bland, hackneyed ex-policeman with a passion for vengeance. I also saw that actor who played Ian's sidekick somewhere else on TV...I just cannot remember where...

Well, I guess that this movie was not all too deplorable. The ending was half-decent even though it seemed to be too derivative of TANGO & CASH (1989). There was also one fast paced car chase. Otherwise, the action scenes were sloppily directed.

SHOTGUN does not have the capabilities to be either a thrilling or entertaining movie. It also lacks the drive to keep the momentum going. This is just another forgetful B-movie. I will say no more except to warn action fans to RUN AWAY as soon as they catch sight of this movie.

RATING: NO STARS out of ****.

For a time, I thought I was the only person in the world to see this sorry excuse for a movie, catching it during late-night TV. Sometimes this movie is so bad, it's hilarious. But mostly it is INCREDIBLY AWFUL. And I don't mean just everyday AWFUL - I'm talking about ****AWFUL****! The actor who plays the character who gets the creative nickname "Shotgun" is perhaps the WORST ACTOR IN THE WORLD! Really! I'm not kidding.

Maybe you should see this movie anyway, because anything you'll see afterwards will look even better!

P.S. - This production company (formerly City Lights, now PM Entertainment) did improve over time, and now PM generally makes decent and slick B movies that deliver the goods. The general rule, however, is to avoid ALL their movies made before 1993!

This one has every tired cop flick cliche imagined -- the partner loved like a brother, the hooker sister who ends up killed by a mask-wearing trick, other street walkers who all look like expensive call-girls and do their stuff to "Gee, is this a porno?" background music, the police command that's always making life difficult for the put-upon, hard-drinking partners (one Black, one White; one married, one single; blah blah blah).

For me, the highpoints of these films are those scenes in the Police Chief's office. You know the drill: "I'm watching you, G_dammit! One more dead suspect and you'll be walking a beat in the worst part of town I can find. You're OFF this case, capisce?!" In this regard, "Shotgun" did not disappoint. It kept me happy, too, with the camera work, acting, transitions, plot tricks and, especially, that God-awful heavy metal guitar soundtrack. The only thing missing was one of those moments where the hero cop splashes his face with cold water and stares intensely at himself in the mirror before the cutaway to the next head-bashing scene. But for that, it would be a perfect 10 in that parallel movie universe one enters through the bottom of a bottle of booze.

Summary: -10 stars in this Universe. Watch it late at night with an equally drunk friend and enjoy.