Father's Day (2011)

Possibly the greatest film ever released under the Troma banner.



Father's Day (2011)
Created By: Astron-6
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The Prologue
If you asked me to compile a list of films that I was most looking forward to in 2012, the chances of Astron-6's Father's Day would probably have been #1. Released on a very limited theater run under the Troma banner, Father's Day is perhaps the best thing to come from Toma in years (perhaps ever). And in time, it could probably rival The Toxic Avenger, or even top it in popularity. Astron-6 is a group of filmmakers that I recently got to know due to a DVD release that compiled all their short films. What I saw on that DVD set was remarkable and extremely clever in it's tongue and cheek nature. I had already been looking forward to Father's Day due to it's trailer, but after seeing the Astron-6 compilation, I knew it was a must see film that could very well be THE best thing to come out in 2012. Having now seen it, I can honestly say it doesn't disappoint at all.



The Movie
Ahab, a man obsessed with exacting a brutal, violent revenge on the man who murdered his dad, joins John, an eager priest, and Twink, a hot-headed street hustler, on an epic quest to find and defeat this mythical monster known as Chris Fuchman AKA The Father's Day Killer. What follows is one of the wildest rides you can find on film this year. Packed full of gore, nudity, and offensive yet hilarious content, Father's Day is a early frontrunner for best film of 2012.

To try to put into words the madness that is Astron-6's Father's Day isn't at all easy. It's rude, it's offensive, and it's probably the film with the biggest set of balls I've seen in a while. I can respect the hell out of a movie that pushes the envelope. And when all is said and done, it's possible that Father's Day doesn't just push it, it crumples it up and tosses it away. What follows is a true modern day Grindhouse film, that both honors and pays tribute to such films as, Thriller, but it also packs a modern day punch that sticks with you, pulls you in, and makes it so memorable that it'll stick with you long after viewing it for the first time. In a nutshell, it's everything I had hoped it would be and more.


Some folks could be slightly turned off a bit by the over the top nature of the film. One minute you're seeing a massacre take place at a strip club and the next you're seeing people tripping out on poison berries. Not that you should have expected anything less from a film about a madman that stalks, kills, and rapes fathers. But I do think their are a few brief moments when the joking nature of the script could catch a viewer off guard a bit. But it's best to keep in mind that as wild and brutal as things get at times in this film, I do believe it's still a bit of a parody and a satire at heart. Yet, as the story takes some very weird and disturbing twists and turns that take you from the realistic plot to a bit of a spiritual one, I can't help but think what you get is pure genius. As goofy as some characters can be, you still like them. And the story keeps you tuned in no matter how far out of left field plot turns seem to come.

At the end of the day, I didn't like some of the more blasphemous spots in the film. Things do get REALLY weird when the film hits it's home stretch. Yet, I can't find it in me to hate on those things that much when I think about the film as a whole. And I also can't deny that what I saw, as crazy as it was, was perhaps one of the best things to hit film in years. Father's Day shows that not all hope is lost when it comes to films in general. In a current world packed full of remakes, Astron-6 could be the saving grace for fans of originality and film. Things get taken on a whole other level with Father's Day. And it's a level that rises above about 99% of everything else that is being released to theater and DVD. When Father's Day wraps up on the screen, you may be shocked and a little disgusted, but you'll also KNOW you just saw something awesome.


The Conclusion
Oh.My.Goodness! It's rare to find a film that comes with soo much hype that doesn't disappoint, but Father's Day does NOT disappoint. It may just be January, but we've probably seen the best film of 2012 already. Things get a little silly, things get a little offensive, but you can not discount or discredit the quality you get with this movie. I'm not sure when Father's Day will hit DVD or Blu-ray, but you can count me in on picking up a copy the very first day. I also must highly recommend that you go out and see this yourself before then if it comes to your area.

The Rating (9/10)