It
is like Cheers, with attitude and veterans’ benefits. They aren’t getting any
younger, but the patrons and staff can still fight as hard as they drink.
Society is collapsing around this Veterans of Foreign Wars post, but the regulars
still uphold standards of conduct. A pack of drug-crazed punks will learn that
the hard way in Joe Begos’ VFW, which releases today on DVD (and is
already available on VOD).
Nationwide,
VFW posts are struggling because of the organization’s institutional
difficulties recruiting veterans of Vietnam and later conflicts. However, Fred Paras
and most of his cronies are ‘Nam vets. Doug McCarthy happens to be a Korean War
veteran and Shawn Mason has freshly returned from the Middle East, choosing
tonight of all nights to grab a beer at the VFW. He is a sharp-shooter—a talent
that will come in handy.
The
shots and salty talk are about to be interrupted by Lizard, a young street
dweller, who stole a shipment of the designer drug “Hype” from Boz, the local
gang-leader, to avenge her sister. Even though she rubs Paras and his comrades
the wrong way, they still offer her shelter from Boz’s marauding “Hyper” hoards.
Things will get bloody and tragic, but they still abide by a code of honor.
Although
Assault on Precinct 13 is an obvious source of inspiration for this film,
the attitude and razor-sharp dialogue is distinctively its own. This film
respects veterans and demands the same of its audience. Of course, it is not
exactly shy when it comes to gore either.
Cult
movie fans are sure to agree about one thing: the combination of character
actors Stephen Lang and William Sadler, blaxploitation legend Fred Williamson,
and 1980s action star Martin Kove cannot be beat. Lang (who paid tribute to
Medal of Honor recipients with his one-man show Beyond Glory) is spectacularly
grizzled and hard-nosed as Paras. Sadler nicely counterbalances him as the good-natured
and slightly dissolute Walter Reed. Williamson looks like he never lost a step
throwing down as Abe Hawkins, while Kove gleefully chews the scenery as
wheeler-dealer used car salesman Lou Clayton. Plus, Tom Williamson (no
relation) shows some serious action star potential as Mason.
VFW
is
gritty, grimy, and lethally effective. It also confirms Begos is the horror
movie director equivalent of Star Trek movies. His “even number” films
have been great: Mind’s Eye and VFW, but his “odds” are not so
hot: Almost Human and Bliss. (To be fair, Star Trek III was
under-valued, so we’ll keep an open mind regarding his future
odd-numbers.) It’s not The Thing from Another World, but it shares a (pro-military)
kinship, which is high praise. Enthusiastically recommended, VFW releases
today on DVD—and is already available on VOD platforms.
