The Vigilante

These kind of movies really get me, you have this trained killer who's just fighting against everybody just killing them? And then all of a sudden, it's just an ordinary person that has no training, never fights. And nothing like that, and they get the best of them. How is it? They get the best of them when it's other people that fight all the time, can't even get the best of them. Make it real. I just fast forwarded, because I just really needed to get to the end. This movie was taken a little too long, when we all know was going to find her.

OK, I think the majority of bad reviews don't take into account that THE VIGILANTE is a low-budget indie film. Were these the best actors, not in some cases, but they weren't awful, either. I didn't expect them to be. But I thought most, at least, were committed to their roles. Given that, I thought it stood out from a lot of indies. Were the actors the best? Not, but they weren't horrible. The lead actress was capable and believable. It would have been easy for the filmmakers to push her too far into the "bad-ass female avenger." But they pulled back just enough to make her sympathetic and accessible. The other performers were fine. The youngest performers did surprisingly well. I was moved by the story and the ending. Did it strain credibility at time, sure, but what movie of this kind doesn't. In some ways, the limited budget probably kept this movie from becoming just another movie of its kind. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the fight scenes, which seemed to improve as the movie progressed. (Although, my biggest contention is that the protagonist's 13-year-old sister was played by an actress who looks twice as old as that. I was baffled that they were able to find really young girls for the supporting roles, but they could find an actual 13-year-old actress to play the sister???) Considering the limitations, this wasn't an awful movie.

(2023) The Vigilante THRILLER ACTION

Misleading title to which if one were to look at it one might assume it is an action movie, but it is like as soon as it's watched the action does not happen until after the 40 minute mark and all it is just a few fights.

It opens with her SUV getting rear ended with the lead star, Jessica Carson (Jet Jandreau) ended up in the hospital. It is during then the movie goes on a 40 minute introduction showcasing her as a special forces employed in Afghanistan, and shooting a young girl strapped with explosives and running toward her squadron unit. And because she was a part of that explosion, it deployed her services that means more time with her actual daughter, 13 year old Aimee Carson (Jamie M Timmons). Except that apparently, because Aimee is part of social media, human trafficking goons thought it might be a good idea to kidnap her for their human trafficking ring. And by the time Jessica comes through, and after meeting with the detective, Detective Tom Mason (Paul Bond) assigned to the case, it turned out he was worthless, hinting to her her daughter may have been abducted. And instead of staying home waiting for results, Jessica then seeks help for her tech friend, Dan Benson(Eric Pierce) who she used to served with, and a prostitute on the streets.

The only thing this movie was doing was attempting to capitalize on the success of another human trafficking movie released earlier during the same year called "Sound of Freedom", with action scenes that do not make a whole lot of sense.

While the movie attempts to weave an intriguing narrative, it falls short in several areas. The plot holds promise, but it seems to be the sole focus, lacking depth in character development and other narrative elements.

The casting choices are puzzling; for instance, a character who is meant to be a young teenager is portrayed by an actor who appears significantly older. This discrepancy is jarring and detracts from the authenticity of the story.

Cinematography is another area where the movie struggles. The camera work is erratic, seemingly in an attempt to compensate for the actors' performances, which unfortunately, are riddled with errors.

The action sequences are over-the-top, with the protagonist defeating adversaries with ease, reminiscent of falling dominoes. However, a particular scene involving a female antagonist almost defeating the hero stands out as an exception, though it feels like a forced narrative twist.

Continuity errors are also present, particularly concerning a photograph that plays a pivotal role in the plot. The inconsistencies in how the photograph is handled by the characters are confusing and disrupt the flow of the story.

In conclusion, while the movie has its moments, it's marred by numerous flaws that make it difficult to watch without a critical eye. It's a plea to Hollywood to retain its unique storytelling charm and not drift into the melodramatic territory often associated with Bollywood productions.

Wanted to like this film, as it seems by the ratings a lot of people did, but it's so amateurish beyond belief.

Our hero, a lady with so many teeth she cannot actually close her mouth, is the usual war hero, expert at everything to do with warfare, of course.

Somehow her friend finds out where young girls are being housed (if it was that easy the cops would have already done it?), so they start breaking into these houses. No mask, no hood, no voice disguiser, nothing.

Amazingly, the cops talk to her about it. Wonder how they realised?

Everyone talks in a bizarre, muffled way, and I inevitably missed some of the dialogue.

In short, this has all been done before, only SO much better, so I really wouldn't bother if I were you.