Bounty Killer (film)

Bounty Killer
Directed byHenry Saine
Screenplay by
  • Jason Dodson
  • Henry Saine
  • Colin Ebeling
Story byJason Dodson
Based onThe graphic novel
by Jason Dodson
Henry Saine
Produced by
  • Jason Netter
  • Colin Ebeling
  • Henry Saine
Starring
CinematographyDavid Conley
Edited byMartin Bernfeld
Music byGreg Edmonson
Production
companies
  • Raindance Entertainment
  • Kickstart Productions
  • Just Chorizo Productions
Distributed byArc Entertainment
Release date
  • September 6, 2013 (2013-09-06)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Bounty Killer is a 2013 post-apocalyptic action comedy film Starting Kristanna Loken directed by Henry Saine. Bounty Killer is based on a graphic novel published by Kickstart Comics in 2013.[1]

Plot

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland known as the Thrice Burned Lands, celebrity bounty killers Drifter (Matthew Marsden) and Mary Death (Christian Pitre) hunt down corporate criminals responsible for the world’s collapse. After a Council-issued death warrant unexpectedly targets Drifter, he and an eager gun caddy named Jack LeMans (Barak Hardley) go on the run, pursued by yellow-tie mercenaries from the powerful corporation Second Sun. Mary, torn between duty and loyalty, also receives the warrant and sets out to confront Drifter.

Their journey leads them through a series of violent encounters with corrupt executives, Gypsies from Mary’s past, and agents of Second Sun. Along the way, Drifter reveals Mary was once a Gypsy named Nuri, whom he trained as a bounty killer before they fell in love. The trio ultimately discovers the Council of Nine has been slaughtered and Second Sun is behind a conspiracy to take control of what remains of civilization.

Captured and nearly forced back into corporate servitude by his former wife Catherine (Kristanna Loken), Drifter is rescued by Mary, Jack, and a newly allied Gypsy army. In a climactic battle at Second Sun headquarters, Mary is gravely wounded but survives thanks to her armor. After recovering, she leaves to continue the fight against corporate tyranny, while Drifter and Jack prepare for the next mission.

Cast

Production

The idea was first explored as a cartoon, which was subsequently adapted into both a graphic novel and short film.[2] Saine's original works were closer in tone to The Road Warrior and were modeled after the Enron scandal. After the 2008 financial crisis, Saine realized that a feature-length adaptation would be even more timely. The feature film's tone was influenced by Ice Pirates, Six String Samurai, and Death Race 2000. Although explicit themes of retrofuturism were eventually dropped, as these were believed to be too confusing for audiences to understand, the film's setting still makes use of the aesthetic; for example, the cars are all from the 1970s, and much of the technology is analog. Shooting took 18 days. Although the crew were fond of practical effects, they did not have the opportunity to make extensive use of them due to the fast production schedule.[3] Many of the cars used in the film were either donated or made available at low cost.[4]

Soundtrack

The theme song "Gonna Getcha" was performed by Sara Bareilles. Bareilles also sang "The Kill" for the film's end credits. Both songs were written by Will Collyer. Lyrics for "The Kill" were written by Sujata Day.

Release

Bounty Killer had its world premiere at the Dallas International Film Festival in the US[5] and played at Fantasia Film Festival in Canada.[6] Bounty Killer was released on 6 September 2013 in theaters and on Video on Demand. The DVD and Blu-ray were released on 29 October 2013. Bounty Killer was released in the UK on DVD, Blu-ray, and VOD on 27 January 2014.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 58% of 26 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 5.7/10.[7] Metacritic rated it 46/100 based on nine reviews.[8] Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote, "Cheerfully gory, derivative and silly, Bounty Killer aspires to nothing more or less than trashy fun for genre fans, and [...] delivers on that modest but admirable score."[9] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "It's all utterly silly and derivative but also undeniably entertaining."[10] Film Journal International called it "sometimes clever and always action-packed".[11] Miriam Bale of The New York Times wrote, "Watching this movie feels like viewing a very long, expensive car commercial and waiting for the real film to begin."[12] Inkoo Kang of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Flat jokes, uneven performances, and a predictable romance help make Bounty Killer a lot less fun than it should be — a killer shame, given its boldly gonzo premise."[13] G. Allen Johnson of the San Francisco Chronicle rated it four out of five stars and called it "an agreeable time passer" where the stars appear to be having a fun time.[14] Michael Nordine of The Village Voice wrote that while the film is not good, it is still entertaining.[15] Nick Schager of The Dissolve rated it two out of five stars and wrote, "Bounty Killer proves a derivative science-fiction saga with even less flavor than the characters' rare favorite beverage, Pabst Blue Ribbon."[16] Gabe Toro of Indiewire rated it C− and wrote, "It's a film that plays equally to both sides of the political spectrum, and it feels like pandering either way."[17] Bill Graham of Twitch Film wrote, "With a silly brand of inventive and violent humor crossed with the freedom of the post-apocalyptic setting, Bounty Killer is a hell of a good time that never takes itself too seriously."[18]

References

  1. ^ "Henry Saine".
  2. ^ Saine, Henry (2013-09-06). "'Bounty Killer': I Should Have Just Started With a Comic Book". The Wrap. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  3. ^ Mack, Andrew (2013-09-06). "Interview: Henry Saine Talks About BOUNTY KILLER". Twitch Film. Archived from the original on 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  4. ^ Wixson, Heather (2013-09-06). "Exclusive: Director Henry Saine Talks Bounty Killer and More". Dread Central. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  5. ^ Laughlin, Jamie (2013-03-12). "DIFF 2013 Includes Fellini Fame, Texas Gems and Indie Film's Hottest Stars". Dallas Observer. Archived from the original on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  6. ^ Knegt, Peter (2013-07-09). "Fantasia Announces All 120 Films For 2013 Edition, Including World Premiere of New 'Chucky' Film". Indiewire. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  7. ^ "Bounty Killer (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  8. ^ "Bounty Killer". Metacritic. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  9. ^ Harvey, Dennis (2013-10-20). "Film Review: 'Bounty Killer'". Variety. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  10. ^ "Bounty Killer: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  11. ^ "Film Review: Bounty Killer". Film Journal International. 2013-09-06. Archived from the original on 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  12. ^ Bale, Miriam (2013-09-05). "Soldiers of Fortune Fighting Corporate Greed". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  13. ^ Kang, Inkoo (2013-09-05). "Review: 'Bounty Killer' splatters blood on white collars". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  14. ^ Johnson, G. Allen (2013-09-05). "'Bounty Killer' review: CEOs must die". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  15. ^ Nordine, Michael (2013-09-04). "Bounty Killer Feels Like an Adaptation of a Non-Existent Video Game". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  16. ^ Schager, Nick (2013-09-05). "Bounty Killer". The Dissolve. Archived from the original on 2015-04-11. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  17. ^ Toro, Gabe (2013-09-10). "Review: Post-Apocalyptic B-Movie Mash-Up 'Bounty Killer' Starring Matthew Marsden, Christian Pitre And, Um, Gary Busey". Indiewire. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  18. ^ Graham, Bill (2013-04-17). "Dallas IFF 2013 Review: BOUNTY KILLER Is Silly, Inventive, and Better Than Many Hollywood Blockbusters". Twitch Film. Archived from the original on 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
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