WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
What makes a hero? Is it the super powered, cape-wearing, spandex-costumed individual that swoops in to save the day? Is it the elite fighting force made up of soldiers trained to go fearless into battle in the name of God, country, and freedom, known the world over for deeds played out in foreign or domestic lands? Or, possibly, is it the most regular, unexpected individual, simply trying to find their own purpose in life, standing up with the intent to right transgressions? New York City is home to one such man–Wilson Bullock (Will Parker) aka: Bullock The Bruiser. Having built a reputation for putting the beat down on street level wrongdoers, Bullock tries to find peace in a normal life he desires via reuniting with ex-girlfriend, Ellen (Esther van Zyl), and laying low.
However, the past never sleeps, and one day while working at his commonplace job, Bullock is approached by DieAnna (Alice Dessuant), a world-wise and ruthless crime boss out for revenge against billionaire playboy Richard Tucker (Max Turner), a man both Bullock and DieAnna have history with in not-so-great ways. Initially refusing to be a part of it, circumstances DieAnna brings about forces Bullock to resume his mantle as The Bruiser, tracking down Tucker to exact DieAnna’s wishes. But, when a new revelation about Tucker and his deceased girlfriend Jamie (Danielle DeWulf), whom he was accused of murdering, comes out, Bullock soon realizes that everything is not what it seems, confronting the real truth about both the situation and his own choices in life.
Next, my Mind:
Strap on your knickers because it’s going to be a wild, frenetic, and insane ride with the independent world’s answer to anti-heroes, courtesy of writer/director/co-producer Marcelo Mayen’s 40-minute short film effort. Executed via one part the grounded, real-world feel of “Unbreakable” paired with two parts the gritty visual style, blunt-force violence, darkly comedic, profanity-laden dialogue, and overall wickedly tongue-in-cheek delivery of “Deadpool”, the scary thing about the proceedings is that is does have heart at the core of the chaos. Ultimately aiming to illustrate one man’s striving to just find out who he really is while searching for ways to still enact his desire to see crowbar-enforced justice done on the streets and alleyways of NYC, the film smoothly sails along on its established premise, making no bones about showcasing a certain level of campiness while also providing a realistic endgame the protagonist seeks.
Parker wastes no time infusing Bullock with both the over-the-top, larger-than-life bravado of his Bruiser alter-ego, delivered with humor, crassness, and some serious rage issues when provoked, while also being able to make us see that there’s a genuine soul, heart, and love-based reasoning inside him as well. He’s truly the reluctant “hero”, who doesn’t really want that label, yet cannot find a way to stop himself from pursuing it either. It’s a dichotomy that Parker does well in presenting to the viewer. Likewise, Turner’s role as Tucker is also a study in minor contradictions, in that while we can clearly tell he’s not actually a very scrupulous individual, he also possesses a “softer” side when it comes to the predicament he’s been placed in, willing to take a few hits from multiple people in order to ultimately make his real point, and the actual truth, known. Turner does well in enacting these dueling forces within the character.
Add to this Dessuant’s revenge-driven femme fatale DieAnna, whom the actress plays with total abandon and purposefully exaggerated swagger that only makes the character that much more entertaining, being partially cartoonish while also being one hundred percent nuts. It’s what one would picture a villainess like Harley Quinn to be, for example. Solid supporting turns are given by van Zyl as Bullock’s very long-suffering, yet tentatively understanding ex Ellen, DeWulf as Tucker’s tragic love Jamie, and Justin Allen Kirck as one of DieAnna’s maniacal henchmen, Claudio. In total, while a little more off-color in language than this reviewer prefers, “Bullock The Bruiser” very much stands as a wonderful addition to not only the indie short film arena, but also to the ever-growing scope of incarnations being given to superheroes, providing a much more apropos perspective on what it truly means to be heroic in the modern age and ever-changing world.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
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