Ozark Savage

Ozark Savage is a film full of smoking guns, nuclear reactions, and ancient sorcery. Though not an apparently even match within the film, the combination creates the ultimate recipe of bullets and supernatural powers. The lead character Lens Ozark, in my opinion, is a brave, lovable idiot. He enjoys jumping into battles in which he will receive most of the ammunition. Furthermore, he clings to power and the idea of justice like the loser he is, not a bad twist. Generally speaking, as the plot thickens, so does Lens. This film is a great show of fast-talking situations, and its polar opposite, the long, drawn-out moments of thought when Lens and friends consider that they are screwed, again and again. As the gonzo, cheeseball film it is, I like it a lot, period.

This film was "nuclear", as Lens Ozark would put it. Very disconnected plot, but everything from John Woo, to Quintin Tarintino, to Sam Raimi and the "Evil Dead" trilogy, if you love indie flicks meant only to entertain with bizarre humor, fun stunts, and cheesy special effects, you'll love this movie!

(Actually, its better than I make it sound. It's really a quality movie!)

Here's an indie film I really wanted to like, but ultimately could not. The lack of script (boldly proclaimed in the main titles) really shows through and kills the picture. The story is a nonsensical mess that isn't worth trying to figure out. I quickly became bored within 10 minutes, then suffered through the remainder of the first 40 minutes--hoping for the best--before hitting the chapter stops to (mercifully) get to the end... even that wasn't worth the extra effort. OZARK SAVAGE clearly tries too hard to be clever, lifting its best sequences from EVIL DEAD 2 and THE MATRIX. As a result, there's very little in OZARK SAVAGE that hasn't been done before, and better. This film would have been much more fun as a 10-20 minute short, but as a feature, it just feels padded and forced. Of course, there's no money in shorts, so I completely understand the financial reasons that I assume motivated it being stretched out to 75+ minutes. Director Matt Steinauer shows great promise, and I wish him luck.

The director-writer-D.P having come from a Southern California film school, and an alumnus of several made-to-orders, this film stands out in my mind as an excellent first major outing. The camera tricks alone are worth the price of admission. In addition to sharp wit and expressive scenes, I think Vince De'Meglio turns in a great performance as Vinnie Malachi, managing to make a serious gangster shine in his comedic moments. (My personal fave is his fight with the guard.) Mr. Steinauer has put together a great piece of entertainment, and I hope to one day see his work on the big screen. The Fights are well choreographed, and the clever use of subtitles only proves this man's value to future cinema.

I must say, this movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen. If you haven't seen it, get up off your butt and watch it! You will not be disappointed, trust me. I won't spoil any of it, but I will say one word: "AWESOME!"