VFW

We have so much to learn from war veterans. What they have gone through, is something we could never understand, unless you have been in a real war. I have seen some documentaries where war veterans tell their horrific stories, of what they experienced in war, and how they struggle to live a normal life. There are a lot of really good films that have told different stories about American soldiers, who have been in different wars through out history. One of the films that i will always remember, is the 1989 film Born On The Fourth Of July, directed by legendary director Oliver Stone. This film is based on the story of Vietnam war veteran Ron Kovic, and Tom Cruise did a really strong portrait of Ron in this film. One of the biggest reasons why Born On The Fourth Of July is such a great drama film, is that you really get a sense of how Ron never gave up. He wanted to show people that soldiers like him have been treated badly, and he did not give up, he kept on struggling to let people know how hard it is to be a war veteran, living with the memories and experiencing the horror of a war. A must see if you enjoy strong drama films, with powerful acting and based on a true story. Speaking of 1989, this was also the year when legendary actor Rutger Hauer released his action comedy Blind Fury, where he played a blind Vietnam veteran Nick Parker, who has a sword inside his blind stick, that he use to take down bad guys, while he travels to America to rescue the son of a fellow soldier. I love the idea of a blind Soldier, who fights with his sword. It is a brilliant concept, that works well with this film. A true classic in the films of Rutger Hauer, and one of the best films from director Phillip Noyce´s catalogue. What if you had Vietnam war veterans, fighting against a drug cartel, in an ordinary American neighborhood ? This is the basic story of the film VFW, that i have heard a lot of positive Reviews about. I had a feeling this could be something unique, so i picked up a Blu Ray from the UK. Is this the best film of the summer of 2020, or is VFW a film that does not leave any impact at all ?

Fred Parras ( Stephen Lang ) is a Vietnam war veteran, who runs a bar for war veterans like himself. Here, he gather with his old war friends such as Walter Reed ( William Sadler ), Abe Hawkins ( Fred Williamson ), Lou Clayton ( Martin Kove ) and many more, to have a good time together, in the company of alcohol of course. Across the street there is a drug cartel, who is run by their leader Roadie ( Graham Skipper ). When the girl Lizard ( Graham Skipper ) escape from the drug cartel with their drugs, she heads over to the war veteran bar. They soon realise that this drug cartel will do anything to get their drugs, but these war veterans have survived a war, and they will not give up that easily.

If you enjoyed the Rutger Hauer B movie action film Hobo With A Shotgun, then i got some good news for you. VFW is like a throwback of Cannon Films, with influences of Hobo With A Shotgun and From Dusk Till Dawn, with some really brutal practical effects. But that´s not all that makes this film a unique experience. The casting of this film is incredible, especially if you grew up watching a lot of 70´s and 80´s films. There are some really legendary actors here such as Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Fred Williamson, George Wendt, Martin Kove, David Patrick Kelly among others. This is a cast that you do not see very often together, and that makes this film a very unique experience. But that´s not all. You see, this whole cast have managed to make their characters feel like they are real friend, something you don´t see very often either in a film. The chemistry between these actors are so good, that i am very pleasantly surprised. The acting in this film is actually good, and it would take forever to go through all these characters, so i will just say that i feel that they all did a good job with their characters. One thing i have to mention, is how happy i am to see legendary actor Fred Williamson´s character Abe, as he reminded me of his character Frost in the 90´s cult film From Dusk Till Dawn. He may be a bit older, but he can still crack some skulls and make flesh wounds without any problems. Some other important details about this film, is the special make up effects by Josh and Sierra Russel. They have done an excellent job on this film, and give us some really wonderful treats. There is a lot of blood, body parts being ripped apart, and much more. So if you are a fan of films with practical effects, then this is the film for you. The original music score by Steve Moore is brillant, that sounds like coming straight from the 80´s. Director Joe Begos ( who have directed a number of films, such as Almost Human and The Mind´s Eye ) have made a film that i can easily say is one of the best action horror films in a long time. He knows how to capture the style of 80´s and 90´s in a very effective way, and he clearly worked hard to make this film a tribute to the classics that i grew up with. VFW is without a doubt one of the best films to watch this summer, and to see war veterans kicking ass is one hell of a good time. What are you waiting for ? Get VFW on DVD or Blu Ray now, and i guarantee that your summer will be fantastic.

Rating: DDDD