Bad Ass (2012)

"I told you I didn't wanna fight.", 12 June 2015

Bad Ass reminded me a lot of one of those 70s era Blaxplotation films like Coffy where the good guy (or girl) is out to right a wrong because the police seem unable or unwilling to help. Frank Vega (Danny Trejo) is a Vietnam vet getting by 40 years later selling hotdogs from a cart. One day on a public bus, he comes to the aid of an old man being harassed by a couple of punks. A video shot by another passenger is put on the internet, leading to some local fame for Vega and a new nickname, "Bad Ass". But after his best friend is shot down just blocks from Vega's home, he'll have to put his new name to the test to bring the guilty to justice.

I sincerely doubt that anyone involved with this movie thought they were making high art. Instead, they probably set out to earn a little money by making a reasonably entertaining film. And that's just what they did. Bad Ass is a solid movie and a lot of fun. Trejo is always a pleasure to watch. I really enjoyed the Everyman characteristics Trejo and the filmmakers brought to Vega. From watching Vega earn an honest dollar selling hotdogs to watching him brush his teeth, it's a character more grounded in reality than the type Trejo usually plays. The supporting cast is, for the most part, as good as you could hope for. Charles Dutton is a standout in the role of head baddie, Panther. Special effects, fight scenes, technical aspects, and the rest were serviceable enough. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and am looking forward to catching Part 2.

There were, however, a couple of points that I didn't care for. Vega's beard and the forced love story were both unnecessary and hard to watch. Still, I'll give this one a 6/10.

6/10