After director Fredianelli's obvious STONE COLD reference in THROUGH THE ASHES, it only comes off as fitting for him to make a whole movie focused around a cold blooded killer vs. A group of vigilantes hastily formed to stop him.
This film has a very old-fashioned quality to it hearkening back to 80's slashers as well as 70's vigilante and rape 'n revenge type movies. Even though there's no rape in this film, it goes pretty far in the violent revenge department, culminating into a massive celebration of carnage that must have taken up the bulk of the budget for the film. It's gore galore featuring exposed intestines, blown out spinal cords, splattering bile, and heartless coup de graces. The director does not shy away from finishing off characters we come to get to know in amazingly undramatic fashion.
I have a few nitpicks though. Some of the acting, particularly from some of the female supporting players, comes off as distractingly stilted and unnatural. The big shocking flashback feels sadly sanitized and missing out on the horror that it would take to really give the killer a credible motive to go on his spree. Some of the character logic in the 3rd act doesn't make a lot of sense unless you consider it was probably written backwards in order to facilitate a big climactic shootout. Lastly, the film misses an emotional bond to the people who take up most of the running time.
Worth a watch for the generally well-done throwback violence, grim tone, and an oddly artistic scene in which a character loses his mind in a car.
