Death Ranch

Three African American siblings do battle with a gang of cannibalistic KKK members. Things gets super gory. The end.

There really isn't a whole hell of a lot to this little indie, but that's the beauty, there needn't be. Sometimes it absolutely OK to consume the empty calories of pop culture and as a result be perfectly content.

The film is very well directed, adequately acted by the cast and the bloodshed expertly handled. About the only thing that bothered me was the use of modern rock music in the action scenes, but that's a minor quip.

So, if you like excessive gore, and old exploitation movies I'm sure you will find something to like here.

Hope you enjoy it.

I must say that I liked this 2020 movie's cover/poster and it definitely had a retro blaxploitation feel to it. And since I hadn't already seen this movie before, and I had the opportunity to do so now in 2021, of course I did so.

And while "Death Ranch" certainly is a watchable movie, it was sadly also a rather bland and mundane movie. "Death Ranch" doesn't bring anything new to this particular style of revenge horror movie that haven't already been seen or done better in other similar movies. Now, don't get me wrong here, I am not saying that "Death Ranch" was a bad movie. Not at all. It just was a mediocre one when it came to it.

The storyline was pretty straight forward, but to the point where it was rather predictable, and that was something that served as an anchor and held the movie back. So writer and director Charlie Steeds sort of shot himself in the foot here with the way he opted to take the story and the movie.

It should be said, though, that what made "Death Ranch" watchable was the amount of blood, gore and mayhem throughout the course of the movie. There certainly was more than enough to keep a seasoned horror veteran and gorehound such as myself content. And I will say that the this movie is rather visceral and visual, and that definitely worked well in favor of the movie.

The acting in "Death Ranch" was adequate, taking into consideration the type of movie that you are sitting down to watch. So don't go expecting any grand, stellar acting performances that will reap an abundance of Academy awards.

All in all, "Death Ranch" was a watchable, albeit generic and bland one. It can easily be watched a single time around, but I doubt that I will ever be sitting down to watch "Death Ranch" a second time. My rating of "Death Ranch" lands on a bland five out of ten stars.

Story: 0.75/2 - Direction & Pace: 1.25 & 1.25/4 - Performances: 1.00/2 - Entertainment: 1.25/2

Total - 5.50/10

In the sizzling cauldron of gore-fueled escapades, "Death Ranch" emerges as a blood-soaked tale that's part gore-fest, part revenge fantasy and a smidgen of a dysfunctional family reunion. It's comparatively like a picnic with a tornado forecast-messy, unpredictable, but strangely alluring.

Picture this: a runaway convict and his kin find refuge in their dear ol' grandpa's rundown barn. But lo-and-behold, their sanctuary becomes ground zero for a KKK killing spree. Surprise, surprise! The Klan's got the unfortunate family in their crosshairs faster than you can sarcastically say "bed sheet & pillowcase." Cue the brutal torture, molestation, and all that grim jazz.

Before you label this a dissertation on character depth, let's acknowledge the obvious: The characters here are thinner than the paper-thin crust on a pizza. It wouldn't have hurt to add some meat to their bones, metaphorically speaking. However, the absence of robust character development might be a tactical move to focus on the visceral rollercoaster ahead.

Praise goes to the director for engaging in peekaboo tactics with the gruesome bits. Instead of shoving the torture scenes in our faces, they opted for a "less is more" approach. The true horror is our imagination conjures far more ghastly images than any CGI could muster.

Sure, the pacing's as wonky as a marathon runner unsure of the finish line's precise location. And that slow-mo during certain scenes is more hindrance than enhancement, particularly when it's unwittingly used during uncomfortable moments.

But ah, the saving grace-the soundtrack: In a world where low-budget flicks often sound like a cat strumming a battered guitar, "Death Ranch" surprises. It's a symphony of pleasant sorts, harmonizing chaos and tension seamlessly.

Now, the cast, bless their kind hearts, realistically is a mixed bag. Thankfully, the director decently bids farewell to the weaker links early on. Survival of the fittest, or maybe the most entertaining?

In conclusion, "Death Ranch" is akin to that spicy taco you gobble down despite knowing it'll scorch your taste buds. It's a one-time thrill ride, especially if gore is your cup of cha. This flick's self-awareness is its unique charm-it never truly takes itself seriously, endowing you with a macabre grin and maybe, just maybe, contemplating a replay when the prevailing mood for blood-soaked antics strikes again.

Every now and then we get a low budget turd or gem, this time around a blaxploitation gem, a action-horror piece that take place in the 70's , about three siblings and two of them help out their younger brother who escaped from a prison down south, seeking a hideout until find out how to help their brother, they encounter a vicious KKK cult, all is not what it seem to be according to the younger brother viewing their activities in the woods, this sets off a chain of horrific events and totally nasty battle for survival between the siblings and the Klan, the director managed to pull off some pretty good gore effects and kept up the action all the way to the conclusion, I thought the acting between the siblings was pretty good as well, a gore hound we enjoy the hell out of this flick, watch this one late at night, when everybody is asleep, not for the kiddies or the squeamish.

Lame, bad acting, bad effects, everything bad, even a real 70's movie had more flair. Sheesh. Avoid this one unless you love suffering as much as I did while watching.