Review: Hobo with a Shotgun

[edit the sad parts]

If you saw the double-feature Grindhouse, a few years ago, you probably noticed the amusing fake trailer for the movie, Hobo with a Shotgun. It was recently made into a full-length feature, by a mostly Canadian cast and crew in Nova Scotia. It is a typical grindhouse(or exploitation) film,itself with quite a bit of gore, bizarre violence and boobs. I would not recommend it for the feint of heart...or those that wouldn't be able to watch a movie in which a school bus full of children is roasted alive with a flame-thrower, to the upbeat sounds of disco inferno.

The film is about a hobo in a terribly dangerous and corrupt city, who just can't take it anymore. He wants to get off of the streets, but struggles to save up enough money to buy himself a lawnmower so he can start his own business. In a moment of total frustration he buys a shotgun instead and decides to take down the corruption himself, vigilante-style.

The acting in it is fairly cheesy, which lends itself to the genre, with the exception of the Hobo. He delivers a very real and believable performance of a street person throughout the majority of the movie, all of the silly quotes and shot-gunning, aside. I did find myself feeling pretty sorry for the character, and even a little sad at times. However the rest of the film is true to its nature, and is very entertaining if you want to see a movie for vegetative purposes, as well as laughs. I know these kinds of movies are definitely not for everyone. I, however, really enjoyed it and it was nice to see a uniquely Canadian movie, as well. It is not common to hear Nova Scotian accents on the big screen. The soundtrack is quite good and the film also has cameos from George Strom and Ricky(from the trailer park boys).

I give Hobo with a Shotgun /

[cwbyrvr]

I love that they're slowly turning the Grindhouse trailers into real movies. I still need to see Machete, though. And now this I guess.

[helium]

Machete was soo bad, but in a good way. In a "bad acting, over-the-top violence and random sex scenes" kind of way. I really want to see Hobo With a Shotgun now!

He wants to get off of the streets, but struggles to save up enough money to buy himself a lawnmower so he can start his own business. In a moment of total frustration he buys a shotgun instead and decides to take down the corruption himself, vigilante-style.

To be honest, I can see this having the potential to make me cry. >.>

[Rainbow Dolphins]

Machete was AWESOME. That is pretty much all I have to contribute; this movie sounds like it's worth a look, too.

[marstewart]

Machete was amazingly beautiful wherein its seems to be educational.

[ladyhawk]

I watched this movie a few months ago, thinking that I'd really enjoy it, but it was actually too violent for me. Most of the violence was cheesy, so I didn't mind, but roasting kids on a schoolbus/a homeless woman and her baby in a dumpster was a bit much for me. Aside from those scenes, I quite enjoyed it, though.

[deanimal]

I am still waiting for them to make DON'T.

[Storage and Disposal]

I am still waiting for them to make DON'T.

Too bad they probably wouldn't have Will Arnett doing a voice over like he did for the trailer. That was half of the fun to me.

[sagermo]

I also loved Machete, especially because of Robert De Niro's hilarious Texan character. I'd love to see a full length "Thanksgiving", but only if they kept that ridiculously low voiced man as the narrator. I'll probably watch "Hobo" soon.

[monkeypoop]

I love me some ridiculous violent movies, but I really did not enjoy Hobo With a Shotgun at all. I can't put my finger on exactly why, but the violence in it wasn't the fun kind of violence that I enjoy in movies. It was more like the kind of violence that makes you feel bad. I would actually not recommend it to anyone, but sometimes you have to see and judge for yourself.

[Aum]

Tarantino has already worn my patience for modern B movie knock-offs too thin. I respect a good throwback to the past but when your movie consists of a de facto cut and paste job from a slew of the greats, and in repeated features, it gets tired. It's how this faux genre exploits women that first drew my attention to what a big cliche it is, and then my attention was drawn to the violence.

If you're going to do what B movies did decades ago, can you at least insert some kind of angle that clues you into its satire, instead of merely recycling the exact same sexist garbage from that era? And that goes both for the men AND women portrayed in the movies. It's the same problem I have with all these modern movies about comic book heroes. Same tropes, same sexist trash, same privileged lead roles - they haven't changed anything. What's the point in remaking it if you're not improving upon it?

I know Tarantino had nothing to do with Hobo with a Shotgun, but it's still his shtick that they are copying and I won't be seeing it.

[deanimal]

Tarantino has already worn my patience for modern B movie knock-offs too thin. I respect a good throwback to the past but when your movie consists of a de facto cut and paste job from a slew of the greats, and in repeated features, it gets tired. It's how this faux genre exploits women that first drew my attention to what a big cliche it is, and then my attention was drawn to the violence.

If you're going to do what B movies did decades ago, can you at least insert some kind of angle that clues you into its satire, instead of merely recycling the exact same sexist garbage from that era? And that goes both for the men AND women portrayed in the movies. It's the same problem I have with all these modern movies about comic book heroes. Same tropes, same sexist trash, same privileged lead roles - they haven't changed anything. What's the point in remaking it if you're not improving upon it?

I know Tarantino had nothing to do with Hobo with a Shotgun, but it's still his shtick that they are copying and I won't be seeing it.

Thank you for saying exactly how I feel but could not put to words. Mainly with comic book movies. Like, maybe I would like them if they at least played around with how things are portrayed, but they never do.