"Bushwick" feels like a low-budget zombie apocalypse movie without the zombies. It's also missing a plot, character arcs, a theme, a moral and other typical cinematic and dramatic elements. The ending feels as if the filmmakers shot the film in sequence and ran out of money before they could complete it. The wrong characters die for the wrong reasons. Bautista is best known for his chiseled larger-than-life physique and his martial arts skills, but displays neither. As he has shown in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, he can handle comedic roles and does a reasonable job here with a role that calls for more emotion than action. While fans may appreciate his dramatic range and nobody would want him to be limited in his career, they may be disappointed that he doesn't do more fighting.
The script is a mess. Nothing makes any sense, from the plot to the military tactics to the motivation of the characters. A hodgepodge of liberal and alt-right political ideologies are presented and seemingly given equal time. I kept imagining Robert Downey Jr. in his Kirk Lazarus role from "Tropic Thunder" urgently whispering, "Never go full-on libtard."
The situation and actions seemed so improbable and unrealistic that I never developed much empathy for the characters.
