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VFW (film)

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VFW
Film poster
Directed byJoe Begos
Starring
CinematographyMike Testin
Edited byJosh Ethier
Music bySteve Moore
Production
companies
Fangoria
Channel 83 Films
Media Finance Capital
Good Wizard
Voltage Pictures
Zero Trans Fat Productions
Distributed byRLJE Films
Release dates
  • September 21, 2019 (2019-09-21) (Fantastic Fest)
  • February 14, 2020 (2020-02-14) (United States)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

VFW is a 2019 American horror thriller film directed by Joe Begos and starring Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Martin Kove and Fred Williamson.[1][2][3][4] The film premiered at the 2019 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas,[5] and released to theaters, VOD, and Digital HD on February 14, 2020.[6]

Plot

Boz (Travis Hammer), the leader of a psychotic gang deals a powerful and addictive new drug called Hype. His members dubbed Hypers are completely hooked on his product so much so he makes one of the members Lucy jump off a balcony to her death when he drops a baggie of hype off it. Lucy's younger sister Elizabeth (Sierra McCormick), nicknamed Lizard, witnesses this and steals Boz's stash to get even while fleeing from Boz when he catches her in the act.

Elsewhere Fred Parras (Stephen Lang), an Army Veteran from the Vietnam War meets up with his friend Abe Hawkins (Fred Williamson) where they go to Fred's bar; a V.F.W (Veterans of Foreign Wars) hangout, there they are meet up with their old army friends Walter Reed (William Sadler), Lou Clayton (Martin Kove), Thomas "Z" Zabriski (George Wendt), and Doug McCarthy (David Patrick Kelly). The friends wish to celebrate Fred's birthday much to his chagrin and relieve their glory days. They are joined later by young Army Ranger Shaun Mason (Tom Williamson) who is on leave to see his wife. The night turns chaotic when Lizard enters the bar and Boz's brother Roadie hacks off one of Doug's arms with an ax.

Fred and the Veterans fight off Roadie and his men with Fred killing Roadie with his Sawed-off Shotgun. Wanting to get Doug medical help Z and Fred try to flee to Z's truck only for Boz's right-hand woman Gutter (Dora Madison) to slice open Z's neck with her machete. Fred and Walter attempt the truck again but Gutter sneaks up on Fred, begins strangling him with a chain demanding him to “give it back!” Fred survives by stabbing Gutter with the truck keys and returns to his bar. He demands Lizard to tell the truth about her and the attacks but she remains silent.

Lou later finds out why they are being attacked after finding the backpack with the stolen stash in a toilet tank and wishes to make a deal with Boz, Lizard however says cause they killed Roadie Boz will never let them live and the only option the Veterans have is to defend themselves against the Hypers. They prepare makeshift weapons from the bar’s furniture and traps in the style of Vietnam tactics. The Veterans are put through Hell when Boz's Hypers including the hulking member Tank break into the barricaded bar giving them a bloody battle. Lou, having reached his breaking point decides to make a deal with Boz to save himself and his friends, but Boz does not care and decides to kill Lou, not before Lou takes out more of his men before being shot by Boz.

Fred who chased after Lou is shot in the leg by Boz and becomes depressed after Lou's death and Doug finally dying after the blood loss from his wounds. He starts drinking in the back room from the guilt till Lizard snaps him out of it reminding him how his remaining friends need him including her. Fred and the Veterans decide to make a last stand against Boz who has had enough of the Veterans killing his men and running out time with dawn approaching. The Hypers blow up the barricade and demand the product back giving Fred a no way out ultimatum, but Fred refuses to give up after everything they put him and the others through and shoots one of the bricks of Hype in the air causing Boz's Hypers who inhaled the drug to go crazy and attack everyone including him and Gutter.

The Veterans begin fighting back, Abe who has taken a hit of hype to get himself mentally prepared begins slicing up the Hypers with his old service machete to allow the others to flee. Walter steals a chainsaw and with Shaun's help they get to the Vet's old Gun Truck to escape but are ambushed with Walter taking a mortal wound to his shoulder.

Abe battles Gutter who gets the upper hand wounding him but dies when Fred rams a broken flag pole through her body and the other piece through her head. Lizard was caught by Boz earlier during the fight and forces her back to his car, but Fred retrieves his shotgun and remaining ammo and shoots Boz in the back as well as the backpack, which he had earlier soaked with his alcohol, catching it on fire allowing Lizard to escape. Walter who is barely hanging on orders Shaun to leave him so he can see his wife again with Walter ramming the Gun Truck at Boz causing both the Gun Truck and Boz's escape vehicle to explode killing them both.

Fred, Shaun and Lizard return to the bar with an exhausted Abe waiting, where they pour shots for their fallen friends now including Abe who succumbs to his injuries after receiving his shot glass. Fred finds a block of Hype hiding behind his counter with Lizard commenting the money he will get with it will repair the bar and more realizing Lizard hide it there on purpose to thank Fred for everything he did for her. The three than consume their drinks with Shaun telling Fred happy birthday.

Cast

Reception

The film has an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 52 reviews with an average rating of 6.85/10.[7] Andy Crump of Paste gave it a rating of 6.9.[8] Chuck Foster of Film Threat gave it a 10 out of 10.[9] Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting awarded the film three skulls out of five.[10] Katie Rife of The A.V. Club graded the film a B.[11]

References

  1. ^ Schager, Nick (12 February 2020). "'VFW' Sees Grizzled Boomers Get Their Bloody Revenge on Opioid-Pushing Millennials". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  2. ^ Hunter, Rob (16 February 2020). "'VFW' Is the 'Assault on Precinct 13' Meets 'Cheers' Mash-Up You Never Knew You Wanted". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  3. ^ Bumbray, Chris (14 February 2020). "REVIEW: VFW". JoBlo.com. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  4. ^ Scheck, Frank (13 February 2020). "'VFW': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  5. ^ "VFW". Fantastic Fest. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Action-Packed 'VFW' Premiering in February 2020". Nerds and Beyond. 14 December 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  7. ^ "VFW". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  8. ^ Crump, Andy (25 February 2020). "VFW Salutes the Troops with More Blood Than Brains". Paste. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  9. ^ Foster, Chuck (11 November 2019). "VFW". Film Threat. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  10. ^ Navarro, Meagan (13 February 2020). "[Review] 'VFW' Pits Vets Versus Mutant Punks in Ferocious Throwback Siege Thriller". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  11. ^ Rife, Katie (13 February 2020). "Drenched in grit, gore, and neon, VFW is an action throwback that hits all the right notes". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
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