Director Mark Burson is highly creative and in this debut feature there are many moments that reveal the energy of an auteur, but Burson's fondness for shock cinema eventually causes the film to collapse into near chaos. The work begins with a voice-over by immigrant Joe Dekko (Colin Gray O'Hara), his text indicating inner turmoil, while he and two crime partners prepare for a robbery of two drug dealers. Dekko craves a more responsible life but any chance of achieving it is slim as it is soon apparent that Joe consistently makes poor decisions. These generally involve his criminal peers although his donation of his share of the drug rip-off loot to a friend as an investment in the latter's computer business only backfires when the treacherous fellow blackmails Joe. Revenge then becomes the film's cardinal motif as Joe, along with his cohorts and his enemies, all go on the attack during scenes of wildly escalating violence. The eponymous Dekko, with a bullet reposing in his skull, and with a proclivity for extreme self-abuse, ostensibly has also an iron constitution, as he struts along his path of vengeance with unalloyed intensity. Prominent upon Burson's cinematic agenda is development of scenes for their sensationalist value, including repugnant violence, heroin use and stylized sexual activity; unfortunately, few of these advance the storyline and none has narrative worth. However, he uses his players very capably, deriving strong performances from many of the cast, the charismatic Glaswegian O'Hara impressive with his turn, and with his versatility, as well, contributing the music performed during the closing credits. Multifaceted, too, is Burson, as for this low-budget affair, shot in Ohio and released in 2000, he produces, directs, and edits, with more naked force than most directors within any genre; it is a pity that his penchant for frenzied grotesquerie is not a minor imperfection; Mark Burson - - thy name is excess.
