Pass the Ammo

With a cast like this attached (Bill Paxton, Tim Curry, Linda Kozlowski, Glenn Withrow, Annie Potts, Anthony Geary and Brian Thompson decking a flowing mullet), I'm surprised to see this comedy to be somewhat of a under-seen cult item which is a mildly humorous spoof on televangelism. Sing it, hallelujah. Praise the lord! Jessie and Claire along with two other friends go into a ministry to rob it, because Claire's inheritance went to the church but they accidentally stumble upon the ministry's live TV set while trying to flee. So they end up holding those inside to ransom, while the cops wait outside and many viewers watch on. The cast are just great. Curry is simply sensational as the smooth talking TV reverend (who makes a memorable first appearance) and so is an over zealous Potts as his eccentric wife. Then you have the likes of Paxton and Kozlowski as the buoyant young couple. Geary is also quite fun as a free-spirited member of studio crew and Leland Crooke as the level-headed sheriff. The zany plot is a basic standoff, but it's the cleverly scathing script that makes good use of the situation to parody these showy religious outings filled with glitz to cover the underlining corruptness. It's a sideshow with over-the-top antics (especially when some gun toting rednecks and the national army gets involved) and neon qualities, as characters open up and America watches on. You'll be glued to the screen.

"Jesus doesn't live in a TV studio. He lives in my heart".

Don't expect much subtlety from this broad but skin-deep satire of TV evangelism, in which an amiable quartet of amateur thieves takes over a TV temple and holds the clergy hostage against a siege of state militia, local police, yellow journalists, and resident vigilantes (can you guess who gets the most sympathy?). The script is more than a little self-satisfied, taking earnest potshots at easy targets without inflicting any serious damage, and except for Tim Curry (who plays the greedy preacher with his tongue firmly in cheek), the holy rollers and gullible worshippers are all too exaggerated to be convincing (it's hard to fake so much bogus sincerity). But once the stand-off is finally underway (after a set-up stretched twenty minutes too long) the story relaxes enough to give the characters room to have fun. The film is certainly no 'Dog Day Afternoon', but it does have its moments, and no one can say it isn't lively. Too bad the real thing (Jim and Tammy Baker; the good reverend Swaggart et al) is so much funnier.

I love this movie. I really loved the character who played "Bubba". Can you tell me anything about him? I think his name would have been listed in the credits but I could never find it. A must rent for the gang to enjoy most on any movie night. I am a big fan of fan Bill Paxton and I love him in this movie. I am surprised that he has not gotten more roles like this. This movie was a all-star cast of unknowns at the time, but as history has bore out, they are all stars in their own right. I have never been to Arizona to where this movie was filmed, but I am planning a vacation there to see where they filmed this movie soon. Anthony Geary was amazing also. Just love this flick so very much.

This movie was under appreciated in its time, and is now a forgotten gem. Released in the era of the high rolling TV preachers and their scandals, and the song "Would Jesus Wear a Rolex" was on the radio, it is a great commentary on greed and hypocrisy in the name of religion. Annie Potts in the highly sexualized "Samson and Delilah" scene was priceless and Tim Curry was, well, he is Tim Curry. He rocks the screen in everything he does. The ever watchable Bill Paxton is the bad boy hero and just adds to the amazing cast. I just wish someone would release this on DVD. Or Netflix. Or Amazon Instant. I would love to be able to share this with my friends. Hallelujah, Pass the Ammo, Praise the Lord!

This is one of those quirky little comedies that never becomes a big hit, but has the charm and endurance of a cult movie like "Harold and Maude." Not to everyone's taste, but if if you like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing that you'll really like. A young woman and her boyfriend enlist the help of some friends, recently released from jail, to rob the televangelist of the money that her recently deceased aunt had given to "God" and which should have been her inheritance.

Tim Curry as the televangelist is fun, but Annie Potts also turns in a wonderful performance has his wife. The remainder of the actors are between competent and quite good. The entire production is professional quality, unlike many cult classics.

"Pass the Ammo" is not without subtlety. There is a charming scene between the preacher and a career bank robber, talking about money, in which the preacher is shocked that the bank robber just spends all his take. "Why that's just wasteful," he exclaims. The bank robber asks about IRAs, and he says, "Well, they have their plusses and their minuses." Their geniality is that of two people in the same profession talking shop.

"Pass the Ammo" is not great theatre. It's not great cinema. It is, however, a good deal of fun for the right people, of which I am one. I recommend it if you are a Curry fan, or like odd little comedies, or found the fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Baker entertaining.