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Reviews
A Final Hit (2015)
Perfectly watchable no-budget hit-man film
It may not be G.B.H. or Sudden Fury, but what is, really? RJ Cusyk's second film proves to be an improvement on his mildly entertaining Giallo-esque thriller Through the Devil's Eyes. A Final Hit follows a retired hit man who is pulled back into the line of duty in an effort to provide for his struggling family. Just when he thought he was out, they keep pulling' him back in, amirite? The film isn't particularly action heavy, and as such it's pacing is plodding and flaggy, but it's filled with fun details that manage to make it worth the slog. The acting is also above par for such a low-budget film, although it's not averse to cheesy lines or flat emotions. Cinephiles might also entertain themselves by playing "spot the reference", as the film has it's share of them, the most obvious being a fairly entertaining nod to Sergio Leone (of all people).
In the end, it's all in good fun.
Through the Devil's Eyes (2014)
Well made, if somewhat bland, dime-store giallo.
"Through the Devil's Eyes" is a quick, cheap, giallo-esque thriller that pays homage to horror slashers of decades past. Taking place in a halfway house, the story concerns David, a mentally unhinged young man who sets out to solve the mystery behind a rash of brutal murders in the area. Now, TtDE's greatest strengths are its direction and acting. The actors play their parts very well, and the roles themselves are well written and realistic, if not entirely memorable. The direction, while nothing visually outstanding, keeps the story moving at a quick pace and manages to evoke the feel of a late 80's video thriller by virtue of it's beautifully grainy visuals. It even features a montage set to era-appropriate rock music! You can't beat that. The various references to other horror films and directors are quite amusing, and thankfully not shoved into your face. If there is one serious flaw in TtDE, it's the lack of any real gore or sleaze. DTV Horror titles from the late 80's were exploding with cheap, silly gore effects and over-the-top sleaze, and while this made them ridiculous, it also made them memorable. TtDE is very stately and dry, and seems to take itself a bit too seriously (aside from a hilarious sequence involving the second Mario Bros. game. The one with the transsexual dinosaur). Not that I'm expecting the film to go into Olaf Ittenbach territory, but it wouldn't have hurt to toss some bubble tape on a guys stomach and call it intestine. So, it's a competent film, but I wish it had been a little more...wild.