Joe Crist

The new western Joe Crist asks you, What Would Joe Crist Do?

At just under an hour of running time, Joe Crist is a crisp(!) western/morality play with very little fat. You're not bogged down with unnecessary subplots. From the opening gunshots to the closing shot of ____, Joe Crist is no brakes western entertainment.

If you're in the mood for some gun-totin' fun, Joe Crist is diverting enough to satisfy the western fans in all of you.

Some eye-rollingly heavy-handed allegory that comes close to beating your head. If that's not your thing it's easy enough to ignore and enjoy the saddles and the giant hats.

You've never seen a western like "Joe Christ". Seriously. This film is NUTS. And ya really gotta hand it to the film makers for making a film that puts multiple genres in a blender and turning it into a film that entertains, has LOL moments of parody, and tries to reinvent old cliches. And it does it all in under an hour! And for lovers of bloody shoot-'em-ups, the body count is HIGH. Apparently Mr. Christ, as an agent of a higher power, possesses some super human traits that allow him to create miracles. Sprinkled throughout are Biblical references too. So here is the absolute bestestest summary I can offer: if you crave a film that is truly different, combining genres like westerns, horror flicks, action/gun play, faith-based films, fantasy, and parody, you've landed EXACTLY in the film you need!

Joe Crist is a Western that manages to pull off multiple things at once: It's a rollicking Western with brutal action scenes, it's got tons of humor, it's a sweet love story, and a tale about right vs wrong and not losing hope.

I really enjoyed the characters here. Dallas Valdez' Joe Crist is a wisecracking, charismatic and showy gunslinger. Carrie Keagan's Maggie is a charming bartender who captures Joe's heart and is good with a gun. Curt Lambert's Del is one of Joe's oldest and most trusted friends and always has his back. This trio has wonderful chemistry together and anytime they are on screen it's electric.

The story, while being a Western standard about a good man seeking to rid a Western town of the seedy gang who is running it, is made interesting by its execution. After awakening from a 40 day coma, Joe wakes up with Messiah-like abilities. He can touch people and see their future, he can heal the sick and even resurrect the dead. It lends the film a wonderful freshness that kept me entertained throughout.

The action scenes are fast paced, well executed and bloody. Every time a standoff happened I was excited and itching for the bullets to start flying. The ending is something that I feel might divide audiences but I found it pretty satisfying. Joe Crist is a Western unlike any I've seen before.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

These are not the words of Joe Crist, the notorious titular bounty hunter, born again to blow the brains out of the bad men terrorizing the town belonging to his best friends, but mirrors the spiritual sentiment of this satirical, semi-religious romp. Framing the story as an homage to all things Sergio Leone, director Mark Allen Michaels entertains the wild energy of a Western, while stripping the genre of its contemplative seriousness in substitution for something super silly.

Fully stocked with Wilhelm screams, whip style camerawork, and cartoonish sound effects to amplify the absurdity, it becomes quickly apparent that JOE CRIST intends to play as parody instead of a straight drama or stereotypical faith based movie. The opening scene makes good and sure that everyone is on the same page that this isn't gonna get played during Bible School study.

The film's religious context is on the forefront of Joe Crist's self righteous journey, but the digital blood bath painting the town red doesn't let the audience forget that violence is the real answer, even if Joe Crist may be the second coming of Christ in lightening wielding form. Because of the outright goofiness up front, it's hard to dial the tone back down, making the movie's less refined qualities more noticeable in its quieter moments - but the brisk runtime allows plenty of room for hootin n hollerin hilarity that makes still it worth a watch. The tangible chemistry of the cast feels like the folks involved had a blast bringing this film to fruition, as some scenes act almost like extended SNL sketches. Perfect to put on at a party packed with lots of booze for some guaranteed good times.

The power of Joe Crist clearly compelled them, will it do the same for you?

What a romp of a short/ long film! I loved this film which actually had me laughing out loud, especially at the great acted side kick character played by Curt Lambert. It's not in the same league as Blazing Saddles and the film only occasionally lost its galloping rhythm but the 53 minutes spun by faster than a quick draw. The level of western parody even extends to the credits where I had to stop and re-read them (example 'Bridge Financing supplied by "We smell blood in the water LLC").

The acting is fairly solid for an indie movie and given the parody script and genre, any wooden dialogue delivery seems to fit well with the intended humour. As a solid Christian I wasn't offended by any parallels with Jesus (apart from the obvious vengeance theme - but hey, it's a movie!!) and the film neatly pulls together a western gunslinger saviour character just as easily as a Clint Eastwood flick.

Definitely worth the watch! Oh....nice hat!