I try my best to keep the ‘repulsive’ in my reviews. Even still, over the years, I’ve been known to review films from different genres. The newest non-horror film to cross my path is a little western known as Big Kill, directed by Scott Martin.
The Plot
On his way to visit his brother in the booming town of Big Kill, Jim (Christoph Sanders) is joined by two misfit gamblers who are on the run. Now, with his new guides by his side, Jim learns that Big Kill isn’t the up-and-coming town he was promised and there is something strange going on that no one wants to talk about.
My Thoughts
When I was presented the opportunity to watch and review Big Kill, there wasn’t much hesitation. I’ve had the pleasure of watching quite a few great westerns over the last couple of years, so I was more than excited to watch another.
Big Kill is comprised of a very talented cast. Included are the likes of Danny Trejo (Machete), Lou Diamond Phillips (The First Power), Clint Hummel (The Quick and the Undead), Michael Pare (Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich), and writer/director Scott Martin, himself.
I was quite impressed by all parties involved and am confident in saying that there were no weak links in this very talented chain. All performers did remarkably well at blending into the old western setting.
Unfortunately, even with all of this talent on my screen for Big Kill‘s 127 minute duration, there wasn’t much excitement to keep me entertained. There were great amounts of character development and the story was certainly an interesting one, but the pacing was extremely too slow. I think it would have served everyone well to cut the movie down by at least 30 minutes. This would have tightened things up just enough to keep my attention more firmly.
The Verdict
Big Kill is packed to the brim with talent and does well at creating that authentic western feel. The set pieces are flawless and the characterization is on point.
I did greatly enjoy the final shootout and the original score by Kays Al-Atrakchi was a perfect fit for any western film.
Sadly, none of this was enough to keep me invested in the story from start to finish.
You can pick up a copy of Big Kill on Demand, Digital HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD on Tuesday, March 19, from Cinedigm. I’d love to hear your thoughts and how you felt about the film.
I give this one 2 chopped off ears out of 5.
