Title: Guido
Director: Colin Campbell
Writer: Alki David
Stars: Alki David, Lupe Ontiveros, Billy Zane, Armand Assante, Ron Jeremy and Gary Busey
What do you get when you mix an ensemble cast, action-packed scenes, snappy dialog, blood, violence and a hint of comedy? You have ‘Guido’ in a nutshell.
The premise: Iraqi hit man Guido (Alki David) gets caught up in a mob deal gone wrong and finds himself transporting a rotting corpse across the country. Unfortunately his elderly landlady (Lupe Ontiveros) becomes aware of his wrong doings, and blackmails him into giving her a lift to her home town. Traveling from city to city, leaving a trail of body bags, Guido makes time to visit some of his landlady’s favorite tourist stops. All the while Guido’s boss, played by Gary Busey find himself in a serious pickle.
The movie has a gritty indie film feel and is well-acted with chock-full of fast-paced action scenes and some really heartfelt dialog. Did I forget to mention some pretty serious gore? Who wouldn’t like to see Billy Zane take a grinder to Gary Busey’s face? Right?
What’s surprising is how well-rounded each of the characters are, even the small roles have great impact. Veteran actors Billy Zane and Oscar Nominee Gary Busey performances are great and all, but the real standout performances come from Alki David and Lupe Ontiveros. Their colorful characters are complete opposites, and yet they have this wonderful chemistry. At the film’s end, we see the true impact that Lupe’s character has on Guido, adding a little heart to his violent world.
In a world of endless remakes and comic book movie reboots, it’s nice to find an independent action film with some cahones! ‘Guido’ is indie film at it’s finest. Sit down, buckle up and enjoy the ride. Just don’t piss your pants.
Story : A
Acting : A
Technical : B
Overall : B+
By Brian Corder
