The Hollow Point (2016)
Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego
Writer:
Nils Lyew
Cast:
Lynn Collins (Marla), Ian McShane (Leland), Patrick Wilson (Wallace), John Leguizamo (Atticus), Jim Belushi (Shep Diaz), Heather Beers (Ellie), Karli Hall (Lilly), Michael Flynn (Jesse), Nathan Stevens (Clive Mercy), David H. Stevens (Ken Mercy), and David Fernandez Jr. as Eugenio.
Opening Credits:
This film is somewhat a request. One of my good friends, one of many, had mentioned how great this film was. Thank you Mark, you know who you are, so a big applause to him please. I wanted to review the new Resident Evil film next, but things change. That's what i love about doing this review, critic stuff it's a constant change. You have a game plan and somehow down the line it changes. My people are the import folks here, not me. I do have a list of movies coming soon, but if that changes down the line, and it's a friend requesting a movie, then that's enough for me. I guess when the Reeltime Movie review gets bigger even for me to handle, i'll sit back and smile. After all isn't that just perfect. When you could sit back and smile, making folks happy with something you contributed., even if it's a smile, laughter, something then in turn makes you happy. The connection is true in form.
To me a review is important to all folks out there, even if the movie sucks. Not saying this movie is bad or anything like that, but that's the real beauty of this review thing, it's very unpredictable. The story, down to the effects, action, all that plays into the film. It's not as easy to review, because you're competing with a million or more sites out there. But, for me this site is more than your average review. Honesty, heart, is the main attributes of the Reeltime Movie Review. So before i go on, and on, let me stop right here and continue with let's say The Hollow point.
Review:
"You're not an unfortunate man. You're an auspicious parasite, and i need you to tell me who's on the other side of that spook!" -Leland-
The film begins with some important information about the Southwestern United States. Small towns near the Mexican border have a real problem. The Cartels are smuggling guns, ammo. This particular story is about Sheriff Wallace (Patrick Wilson) and his hometown in Los Reyes County, Arizona. He returns to his town like a ghost. The town-folk had thought he was dead, but like all ghosts, this one was a mission. playing clean up isn't one of his things, but Leland (Ian McShane) has made the last mistake. On a traffic stop the old Sheriff had been drunk. The man he had stopped had hidden ammo with in the truck. But after their altercation which was violent, and ended with a shooting. Leland had delivered a message, and his rage had gown to far this time, even though the man he had stopped wasn't a good man.
The Cartel deal was to smuggle ammo to and from Mexico, a truck, a man, no violence. But everyone in Los Reyes County knows that sometimes having no violence is as dangerous as awakening a sleeping giant. Wallace finds himself in the middle of a Cartel deal gone wrong, and now the Cartel assassin Atticus (John Leguizamo) is on a hunt of the man who had made everything go from good to bad. A hitman, an inquiry, and a Sheriff who is mixed up between his life, and finding out the truth behind the bloody path that is laid out before him.
The Hollow Point has grittiness behind it's story. The way it was told was beautiful. Yes maybe the viewer had to put things together a bit, but i really believe that was the beauty about the film. The lack of flow was it's biggest draw. It's a different type of film, even shot differently, which to me had guts and integrity. Remember those Quentin Tarantino films? Especially that little film in the 90's, "From Dusk Till Dawn" (1996). The movie in comparison has one quality, and listen up here because it's important. The film was about a pastor who lost his faith. He and his family are taking a ride out somewhere. Well the characters are developed, but the story is really open ended, it could've gone in many directions. Flash forward it ended up being a really good vampire film. Characters were great but the story had holes, it was up to the viewer to connect the dotes. Don't have a problem with that type of film making. It's a style, it was done purposely. Sometimes films make you think, and in The Hollow Point it did just that.
Remember the scene with the car dealer, Shep Diaz (James Belushi). Both Leland (McShane) and Diaz were present. They had an exchange in words, one not so nice, the other had a hidden shotgun which ended up shooting the former Sheriff. That scene then cut to another with Wallace in it. You really had no idea what happened to Leland. But as the scene continued here is old Leland walking, talking to Wallace (Patrick Wilson). I really like that as a viewer you had to put things together. Yes he was shot, but he wore a bullet proof vest, which the close up of the character showed that. To me that was done to perfection. I really don't need a film to flow so much that it becomes almost boring. To much information takes the grit away. The Cartel's in the town had a reason to be there, granted everything had to be about guns, and in the case for The Hallow point, it was all about ammo; and the money that was taken from the Cartels. Why did you have to know the deep reasoning behind the deal. It was a middle man, a gun smuggler who was paid to do his thing, period. That's what i loved the most. Everything was there, but some details were out, which was enough for me. Continue, move along.
Patrick Wilson, and Ian McShane have a unique presence in the film, they both worked off each other. The characters were developed well. They worked and that's all you really need for a film. The characters made the film, they interacted well, no bad B-movie acting here. The supporting actors like Ellie (Heather Beers) did a wonderful job, her scene was tight. the film had a small cast, but that was the wonderful thing about it. A small cast with a great story, it wasn't forced or rushed, it had a story. The film wasn't huge, didn't have a long drawn out scene with the Cartel boss, it was just the middle guy doing his thing. Eugenio (David Fernandez Jr.) just wanted the deal to go smoothly, he was perfect. The scene went well, even though he really didn't have a huge part, it was important to the story. Atticus (John Leguizamo) was a major part of the puzzle. The assassin without a cause, but had so many other reasons to like him. Yes the silent bad guy, he was the man with a point, a personal target which made you think otherwise. I loved how the prison guard traded spots with him in the evening. The true control of the Cartels in the town had bad results, but enough to understand that nobody really cares about a town going down hill. John Leguizamo alone could've made this film, even without the other actors. Great scenes, with all around great acting, effects weren't needed, so glad they went this route, and not the Hollywood way.
Hollywood really doesn't need to explain everything in a story, leave it up to the viewer. I guess it might be today's style of film making, but in general it's what people want. And that's why you have so many films that have these unnecessary cut scenes with the bad guy, or a pep talk with his or her henchmen. I mean it's cool, but you really don't need it. How great was "From Dusk Till Dawn?" It was a unique film that went, quick, moved on painlessly. It didn't bore you, hit you with long drawn out explanations of a plot. The movie was fun, fast, and full of vampires. The real stuff, not the extravagant vampires from Underworld.
Films have a run time, and sometimes the studio will only give you the 120 mark or the 90 min run time which sucks, but if you are the unfortunate one and get the 90 min, then all you have is the story, and lack of time, then this style of film making is perfect because it was a little over 90 min. It worked, it managed to make something small into something bigger than it was intended. The film had enough to give you the story, and to me the most important part of filming is the story.
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