American movies shot in Canada often go on to make millions of dollars and reap critical acclaim. Canadian movies shot in Canada have the acclaim part down pat, but rarely end up being profitable. Sure there are exceptions like Eric Canuel’s comedy masterpiece Bon Cop, Bad Cop and John Fawcett’s coming-of-age werewolf tale, Ginger Snaps, but they are few and very far between. With such dismal financial outlooks it’s hard to see why Canadian films keep getting made, but it’s a good thing they do because Hollywood would never have produced a movie as brilliant as Jason Eisener and John Davies’ Hobo with a Shotgun

Originally a fake trailer for Robert Rodriguez’ South by Southwest Grindhouse Trailer contest, Hobo with a Shotgun has been expanded into a full-length feature film staring Blade Runner‘s Rutger Hauer. It’s a violent and bloody tale that captures the best parts of grindhouse cinema and backs them up with an unusually strong story and solid character development. Some may decry the film for playing it straight rather than laughing at itself like Planet Terror, but honestly doing so would only serve to cheapen the experience.

As the opening credits roll we’re introduced to the eponymous Hobo; a lonely drifter who rode into Hopetown looking for a brighter future and a lawnmower to call his own. Unfortunately not everything is in a name and Hopetown turns out to be little more than a desolate slum where whores lines the streets, graffiti covers every surface and the populace live in fear of a vicious crime lord known as The Drake (Brian Downey, Lexx). At first the Hobo tries to ignore the plight of the city, but after a run in with one of The Drake’s sons he’s forced to take action. Arming himself with a pawnshop shotgun, he sets out to clean up the city, one shell at a time. It may not seem like an overly deep plot, but the real mastery comes from how Eisener and Davies create a bond between the characters and the audience. For the first time in an exploitation film you’re going to care about what happens. You’ll feel the Hobo’s anger and frustration at the world around him. When he meets and forms a bond with the prostitute Abby (Molly Dunsworth) you’ll share his pity and remorse. When she gets hurt, you’ll hurt. You want these characters to succeed and when something bad happens it’s a real kick to the gut. Similarly you’ll learn to hate the villains as the embodiments of true evil. The Drake is an utter monster and his sons are little better. Slick (Gregory Smith, Small Soldiers), the favoured son, commits one of the worst acts I’ve ever seen in a film and were it not for the brilliant use of the song Burn, Baby, Burn (perfectly synced on two old school ghetto blasters) the scene would be almost too much to watch. When they die you will feel satisfaction. Despite its overwhelming violence and brutality, the film is not with out a sense of humour. Ivan (Nick Bateman), The Drake’s other son, is like a bizarre combination of Tom Cruise and Ric Flair who spouts ridiculous statements like, “Woooo! It’s a nice day for a rape”. He is a hilariously bad and overacted character, yet it’s clear this is exactly what the director was looking for and it works. Violent acts are usually balanced out with a comedic counterpoint so as to be fun rather than truly horrifying.

Being an exploitation film it’s clear that there’s going to be a lot of blood and gore. As is to be expected the bulk of effects are cheesy, low-budget and obviously fake, but this works well with the film’s general presentation. There are a couple of scenes early on where the gore is just bad, such as a one involving a foot being smashed with a hammer. It just doesn’t feel like it belongs. Special attention also needs to be given to the film’s cinematography and lighting. In the beginning most scenes are filmed with normal camera angles and lighting, creating a sense of realness and familiarity. However as the plot progresses and begins to depart from what one would consider normal, the camera work also begins to change to fit the mood. More and more often you’ll find scenes shot at a slightly off camera angle or using strong red and purple shades of light to detach you from reality and create sense of surrealism. This allows you continue to enjoy the film with out being broken out of your immersion by a “too ridiculous to believe” moment. There even appears to be an homage to Sam Raimi towards the end of the film that fans of his work are sure to pick up on.

For a movie that began as a fake trailer, Hobo with a Shotgun does everything it can to exceed your expectations. I personally went into the film expecting an hour and half of cheesy dialog and gore, only to be completely blown away by the quality of the production. This is more than just a good exploitation film, it’s a good film. Period. It’s a real treat to know that this kind of quality production can come from my home province of Nova Scotia and hopefully this is only the beginning for the talented Eisener and Davies. Unless you have an incredibly weak stomach go see this film.

Verdict: Must Watch

Hobo with a Shotgun is currently playing at cinemas across Canada. If you love film and want to support a home grown production, please go check it out. You can find participating theaters here

Hobo with a Shotgun is also available On Demand in the US and will hit Theatres on May 6th. For details checkout Magnolia Pictures