Directed by D. Kerry Prior
Screenplay by D. Kerry Prior
2009, USA
Written, produced, directed and edited by D. Kerry Prior (visual effects artist on films such as Bubba Ho-Tep, Phantasm II – IV, The Lost Boys, The Abyss), The Revenant is a truly remarkable experience – a dark comedy that creeps up not to scare its audience so much as surprise us again and again. Part buddy comedy, The Revenant is anchored by David Anders (Heroes) and Chris Wylde (Strip Mall), who’s chemistry is the real strength of the film; the glue that holds the pic together. Of course it helps that the film has a great supporting cast, colorful characters, a perfect blend of dark and ridiculous humor, rich dialogue, graphic violence, raucous splatter, over-the-top theatrics, and a unique supernatural premise – a premise that can easily fail on screen only director Prior handles the dramatic scenes surprisingly well, balancing the serious and light admirably, while always keeping the audience firmly invested.
Prior’s film doesn’t seem to bear the marks of a limited budget since his experience working with special effects aids him in getting the most for what little resources he may have had. The best effect is a talking head that really does look severed; used in the film’s most memorable scene alongside a vibrator. The production values across the board are solid and perhaps its only real flaw is the tiresome reliance on profanity.
The Revenant is outrageous, jaw-dropping, genre-busting filmmaking. Often described as the Re-Animator of a new generation, the film has slowly found a cult following since 2009 that continues to grow.
– Ricky D