Joe Crist

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.

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.

Written and directed by Mark Allen Michaels, Joe Crist is a wild Western! I love how this movie starts and gets right to the point! It packs a punch into its short runtime. The cinematic style is wonderful; I love how the color of the film, as well as the music, characters, and setting, all pay homage to the Western film genre. The special effects are great too! The sound design and music are top notch. The music, especially, really adds to the Western and pulls you into the movie's world. There truly is something for everyone in this movie: mystery, love, action, crime, and even bits of comedy.

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!