Blunt Force Trauma (2015)

Brooding metaphysical semi-action film concerns two gunfighters who take part in an illegal underground competition where combatants get into a ring with bulletproof vests and take pot shots at each other. John (Ryan Kwanten) is looking for a legendary shooter (Mickey Rourke) for the ultimate math. Mean while Colt (Frieda Pinto) wants to kill the man who killed her brother. Traveling across South America the pair try to track down the elusive Rourke all the while falling in love.

Okay little film has me scratching my head for several reasons.

First I really would like to know what the point of it all is. The film has the aire of a film that is trying to be about something, but I really haven't worked out what it is. To be certain the film falls into the raging macho, a man's  gotta do what a man's gotta do existential angst category but at the same time other than being there what is the point it's trying to make. I'm not certain.  Perhaps if this was filmed as a western or that small sub-genre of the southern when the spaghetti west actually went south all the way to South America maybe this would have made more sense.

The other question I have is why is this being sold as an action film when there is almost none in it? I completely understand how this got a small release (it's not a bad film) but at the same time I also understand how the film never really caught on a slipped under everyone's radar because the film doesn't match the title or the art. I mean look at the title and look at the art which highlights the gun. While the image and the title make sense after you've seen the film, at the same time they are highly misleading- this is an existential drama not a bang bang shoot'em up or fight film.

As I've said I like this film I just don't understand what its going for and who they made it for. And don't think that's a bad thing, it's not, films need to challenge us on all sorts of levels. I like that the film is making me wrestle with it to figure out what it's all about. It means that there is something there or else it wouldn't have gotten under my skin. Additionally its so much better than if I had seen it and dismissed it or simply moved on to the next thing because it means it's not disposable

BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA is a good film that is perfect for anyone who wants a film that is far removed from your typical Hollywood film. If you take it on its own terms you'll enjoy it.

The film is now available on Bluray, DVD and VOD