-Written by Michelle Vorob.
Revenge Tour is a short film directed by Bryon Jones that follows a murder investigation of film festival judges who give bad reviews. Although it's a bit amateur, it's a lot of fun. It made me laugh. It also had great special effects of the murder victims. It also [obviously] takes on a meta-reality component, firstly, in who the primary suspect is and why and second, in that some of the cast who appear play themselves. I wish I knew for certain if this film was an homage to something else, or if there's a great backstory, but it seems to me that Jones has one hell of a sense of humor.
Also written by Jones, Revenge Tour follows two cops, a seasoned detective (Vince Hobart Smith) and a wide-eyed rookie (Hasan Hamad), as they investigate a string of film festival judge [film critic] murders, rounding up actors and acquaintances for questioning. Very clever and entertaining premise, especially as a film critic myself.
Filmed well, Revenge Tour has a dark, moody feel and brings in slight horror elements, especially with the murder victim special make-up effects. The camera angles and lighting really add to the tone and I don't know why, but somehow, I feel like everyone had a great time filming this. Why that should make a difference at all, especially in something that isn't a comedy, I don't know, but for whatever reason, it made me appreciate Revenge Tour a bit more.
I greatly appreciate drama and horror that successfully work humor into the story. Just like in life, many serious situations can [and do] have a funny component, whatever it may be, and as for storytelling, it's just fun. It's like a little break in the tension. Revenge Tour also throws in a little extra humor in who the main suspect turns out to be. Maybe Revenge Tour is a bit of creative payback and that's the secret, but it makes for a really entertaining film, despite how short it is; under ten minutes.
I definitely recommend catching this little gem of a short film. If you like cop procedurals, horror, whodunits, or just want to see an entertaining short film, catch Revenge Tour if you can.
Written and Directed by Bryon Jones
Starring Vince Hobart Smith, Hasan Hamad, Anthony Taft, Kyle Bavis, Bob River, Beth Metcalf, Theo White, Jessica Lorraine, Jason Wray, Robyn Nelson, & Nate Marcum.
8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
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