G-Men from Hell

Two G-Men (William Forsythe and Tate Donovan), returning from hell, must perform good deeds to save themselves from a doomed fate.

This film has been generally panned, and I can understand why. The filming is a bit odd and the plot is a bit of a mess (but just a bit -- it is still coherent). But the problem really stems from being adapted from a Mike Allred comic -- how do you stay true to a comic without coming across cheesy? That is hard to pull off, and quite often it backfires. This time, I actually think it went okay.

The strength is in all the great actors -- Bobcat, Zach Galligan, Gary Busey and even Robert Goulet as Satan himself. With that much personality in one movie, it is guaranteed to be worth watching, even if the sum is not greater than its parts.

I first read of this film on Mike Allred's website and knew it was a low-budget B-movie, so I didn't figure it was worth checking out. But I ended up coming across it at a flea market so I got it and I have to say ,it absolutely is worth watching. It's full of that bizarre charm that turns a B-flick into a cult classic. Anyone familiar w/ Allred's artwork knows it has a very 60's vibe to it, so it's only appropriate that the movie seems to borrow camera-work and color schemes from TV shows like 'Batman' and 'The Monkees'. There's a wonderful mash-up of genres taking place here, including "hard-boiled crime noir", "mad scientists" and "superheroes" in what is essentially a story about redemption. Considering the small budget this movie had there is some really strong talent at work here. I highly recommend watching this movie if you get a chance. I only hope that when a 'Madman' film finally gets produced they respect Allred's work as much as this movie does.

The reviews and vote average would indicate this movie is exceedingly awful, but that simply isn't so. The movie is a lot of fun if you give it a chance and are hip to the vibe. Almost every role in the flick is filled by a character actor or comedian with a substantial resume. Yeah, it's low budget, but it's well-done, and there isn't anything out there that quite hits the unique tone this one manages. A day-glo camp delight influenced by pop-culture from the forties to the present, and very much in the spirit of Mike Allred's comic book writings.

Gunned down in cold blood, 2 corrupt FBI agents wind up in Hell. Finding a way back to Earth, they begin a campaign of good deeds which will 'square them with the big guy' and allow them to enter Heaven.

G-Men From Hell is a pleasing little film. Overlong at times, it still looks good for the money - like a seedier version of Dick Tracy. It has it's flaws, particularly Vanessa Angel's atrocious dialogue and the re-appearance of Zach Galligan after many years in a role that could just as easily have been left out. Where it shines though is in it's casting of William Forsyth, Gary Busey and Robert Goulet as the Devil, delivering ordinary lines with such panache that it's hard not to repeat them as you go along. In particular, Busey's delivery of 'I am a sadistic, leather-clad master homosexual' and his frequent groping of Galligan will have you wondering why we see so little of this premier nutter on our screens. Goulet and Forsyth are no slouches either and what would have been another forgotten oddity is saved by a couple of great performances.

Watch out for an unrecognizable David Huddlestone as a mad scientist - I'm glad to see he's still going strong.

I usually like B movies and i really love movies based on comic books. So why did this not fly with me? Well unlike allot of b-movies it wasnt funny bad but just bad. For starters the sets were horrible you could tell they had little money to go on, i was under the impression that the movie was set around the 50's but yet im seing ripped posters for the backstreet boys in an alley. Not to mention all the villians were horrible. I think the breaking point came when we see a man in a very bad superhero outfit jumping rooftop to rooftop only to jump on a ledge and be held steady by the hand of a crew member, there it was plain as day not even a shred of dignity to try to hide it. Even Vanesa Angel and Kari Wuhrer couldnt shine in this mega flop. If you enjoy movies like Toxic Avenger only dumber (as if that was possible) then you will love G-men from Hell other wise please stay away and save your sanity.