by Joseph Perry and Mike Imboden
In our “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict” film reviews, Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. For this installment, it’s Robbie Davidson’s U.K. action/horror/sci-fi/war comedy Dick Dynamite: 1944.
Synopsis
In the dying days of World War II, Dick Dynamite and his ragtag team of Nazi-killing commandos must stop a group of depraved German scientists from turning the population of New York into flesh-eating zombies.
The Good
Joseph: An absurdist take on fictional WWII heroes such as Doc Savage and the Fabulous Five, Dick Dynamite: 1944 smashes, bashes, and crashes genres together. The result is a “Let’s make a movie!” feature that doesn’t care about limited budget, as director Robbie Davidson and crew set out to make a film that entertains, as they seemingly let neither lack of money nor reason get in the way. It absolutely does entertain, for many reasons.
Mike: Dick Dynamite: 1944 gives us an amalgam of every action hero we’ve come to love over the years, punching, kicking, and killing every Nazi he comes across as he fights for freedom. Yeah, the budget is low and the CGI shows this, but what Dynamite lacks in spit and polish it more than makes up with chutzpah and a determined drive that speaks volumes about the dedication of the cast and crew to get a film in the can.
The story itself is simple and to the point (Nazis have developed a super weapon and are planning to unleash it on New York City), which is good because it pushes the need for extraneous extrapolation to the side and lets Dick and his rag-tag team spout one-liners and dish out the punishment their foes deserve.
The Bad
Joseph: If you’re looking to find faults in a low-budget indie feature, Dick Dynamite: 1944 can certainly give you much to complain about: corny dialogue, over-the-top performances, CGI blood, and more. But this is the type of feature in which what normally would be negatives instead give the film its charm, to use that word loosely. So what constitutes “bad” for Dick Dynamite: 1944 will vary by viewer depending on attitudes.
Mike: Right from the green light I’ve gotta say that this isn’t for everyone. If a film that oozes its low budget from every scene doesn’t sound like your bag, maybe skip this. If stilted performances and a plot that is a hair more than basic don’t sound like your bag, maybe skip this.
However…
The Verdict
Joseph: Dick Dynamite: 1944 is the kind of film best viewed in a group, in a theater with like-minded moviegoers laughing at often lowbrow humor and cheering at ludicrous and copious exploding body parts, or at home having a blast with a bunch of friends and a few pizzas. Back in the heyday of midnight movies, Dick Dynamite: 1944 would have been a massive midnight movie. If that’s the vibe for which you are in the mood, Davidson’s film won’t disappoint.
Mike: …skipping Dick Dynamite: 1944 because of its low budget would be a mistake, especially if you love B-Movie action flicks set in the middle of World War 2 with colorful characters on both sides of the coin, colorful language abound, and colorful arterial spray coating the landscape.
This is the kind of film that needs to (and hopefully will) find its audience of like-minded people. Dick Dynamite is the hero we need because let’s face it, blowing up Nazis will never go out of style and in this case our hero is stylish as hell.
Dick Dynamite: 1944
Directed By: Robbie Davidson
Written By: Robbie Davidson
Starring: Snars, Olly Bassi, Shaun Davidson
Run Time: 1h 29m
Rating: NR
Release Date: December 10, 2024 (United States)
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