The most popular horror subgenre today is "elevated horror"—you know, those kinds of films that focus more on social themes and critiques, where fear is induced through metaphors rather than disgusting imagery. And I like some of them. But, putting my finger on it, if I had to say my favorite horror subgenre, I think it would be the ones categorized as B-movies. There's something about the zany camerawork, jarring editing, cheap production design, grotesque special effects, and a strange mix of seriousness and self-awareness that I really enjoy. I'm talking about films like Horror Express, Sam Raimi's Evil Dead films, the Friday the 13th films, and just about every other George A. Romero film. With everything becoming more polished, even emulating that gritty, raw aesthetic feels "safe."
David Grainger's The Bondsman tells the story of Hub Halloran, a bounty hunter who lives with his mother, Kitty. He has a strained relationship with his ex-wife, Maryanne, and a rather friendly bond with his son, Cade. His arch-nemesis is Maryanne's current boyfriend, Lucky Callahan. We first meet Hub when he enters a motel to catch his target with the help of a wasp nest. Things quickly go awry when Hub is assaulted by thugs and his throat slit.
Creator: Grainger David
Stars: Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Nettles, Beth Grant
His body is then buried in the walls of a motel room, and that's it. Moments later, Hub returns from the dead with a strange claw mark on his arm, advanced healing powers, and the ability to differentiate between humans and demons. After coming into contact with a mysterious woman named Midge, Hub discovers he's been recruited by the Devil through an agency called Pot o' Gold. Apparently, after his unceremonious death, Hub was on his way to Hell, but he's come back to life to settle some unfinished business and kill some demons. Once he's fulfilled his quota, he'll be sent to the underworld. However, as Hub moves from collecting bounties to hunting demons, things get complicated.
If you've seen shows like Brimstone, Supernatural, Ash vs. Evil Dead, or Dead Boy Detectives, The Bondsman has nothing new to offer. Each episode introduces a new demon, and Hub must kill it before it wreaks havoc. And a larger conspiracy is brewing that could bring about the end of the world. These clichés are based on the fact that Hub wants to get along with his wife and son, protect his elderly mother, and get revenge on Lucky for stealing his wife and trying to kill him. Therefore, we get lukewarm comments about what it takes to be a good husband and a loving father, and why we should make the most of the opportunities we have, because, in real life, we won't get a second chance like Hub had.
As for the demons, there's some lore and background about them. But the most interesting thing is their selection of characters. Pastors, police officers, cheerleaders, racists, victims of racism, and literally children are not spared. While the series doesn't fully delve into the broader implications of these decisions, you're free to interpret them however you wish. The writing of the characters and dialogue is excellent; nothing groundbreaking, but not completely bland either.
As for the B-movie thrills of The Bondsman, well, there's plenty of blood and violence. In the first episode, we see a group of kids turn into a pile of bones and muscles. A truly brutal skin-shedding effect is used to achieve a demonic transformation, which is simply brilliant. But the moment that undoubtedly takes the cake, in my opinion, is when Kevin Bacon (wearing only boxer shorts) slices a demon's head in half with a chainsaw. I mean, if the Evil Dead influence on this show isn't obvious before that moment, that scene confirms that David Grainger and its late directors and writers are definitely fans of the franchise started by Raimi.
The show is full of Dutch angles and exaggerated camera movements. The stunt team has used a lot of very obvious but amazing wire work to showcase the demons' supernatural abilities. That said, to make things a little easier for the makeup, SFX, VFX, and CGI teams, the showrunners have used a clever trick: only Hub can see the demons' true faces. Therefore, for the most part, the demons look like normal people, and the effects come into play only when we put ourselves in Hub's shoes. Aside from all that technical stuff, the overall tone of the show is a good balance between comedy and drama; it's a casual, fun time.
Well, so far I've avoided mentioning a title, largely because it's almost universally hated, but now I will: R.I.P.D. Yes, if you're one of those rare souls reading this review and thinking, "Wasn't Kevin Bacon in another movie with characters solving crimes from the afterlife?" well, there you have it. I don't think Bacon was cast for his exemplary work in R.I.P.D., exactly. He's been in iconic horror films like Friday the 13th, Tremors, Flatliners, and Hollow Man, and it's always nice to see him at his best in projects in this genre. Beth Grant is great, but casting her as Kevin Bacon's mother is a bit weird; Bacon is 66 and Grant is 75. Jennifer Nettles is magnetic. Maxwell Jenkins is good. That said, when the four of them get together to slay demons or sing, they're absolutely magical. Damon Herriman has scared me every time he's played an antagonist since his role as Charles Manson in Mindhunter, and I meant that as a compliment. Jolene Purdy is excellent. There's a hilarious cameo by Jay Ali. The rest of the supporting cast and stunt performers are brilliant; a round of applause to all of them.
I don't know how Prime Video, or any streaming platform with the freedom to do weekly releases, decides which shows should premiere weekly and which ones at once. Because a show like The Bondsman, which has a weekly monster narrative format, could have benefited from a weekly episodic release, in my opinion. Then there would have been some intrigue about which demon will appear next and what's coming next. Watching the show in one sitting is going to diminish the uniqueness of each demon, and the lack of anticipation for the ending is going to diminish its impact. But of course, I guess those who work at Amazon know best what people want, what will work and what won't. That's why they're giving us all the episodes of The Bondsman at once. I don't know if the series will get enough attention to justify a second season, but I would love to experience more adventures with a demon-slaying Kevin Bacon.
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