Revenge of the Gweilo (2016) Film Review
There’s a scene in Nathan Hill’s Revenge of the Gweilo where the film’s “auteur” spews out a line of dialogue that’s as cringey as it is original. Joseph Lucky, the main character, is about to execute a thug, and the bloodied villain asks him who he is. Lucky replies “I’m Mr. Question and you’re Mr. Answer.” That line right there encompasses everything about Hill’s peculiar style of storytelling. One that screams out confidence in the age where digital technology has allowed everyone to shoot a film.
Revenge of the Gweilo follows an apparently happy man who faces the worst when his fiance is brutally killed by a couple of girls who seem like low-budget versions of the The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. Joe Lucky swears revenge, and for this he will have to dust off his cop skills and hunt down a mafia leader whose grasp is bigger than he thinks.
Part of Hill’s catalog of independent schlocky cinema, Revenge of the Gweilo is an entertaining journey of revenge, violence and lots of leather. Sure, the performers could use a few acting lessons, but the film has enough campy fighting scenes to let you know acting is the least you have to worry about. This is about Lucky learning to fight, his detective skills, and a grenade explosion scene that’ll make you cheer. If you’re into B-movies, and if you’re into Hill’s shenanigans, you’ll have a good one.
You gotta hand it to Hill. He’s not exactly afraid to indulge in what many consider to be ridiculous artistic expressions. His films are ambitious in aspects that are not common in indie cinema, and he’s not afraid to leave things in if they actually work from a storytelling perspective. His films are filled with mistakes that are so blatant, they seem in tune with his style of filmmaking. When the director stays within the walls of campy independent cinema, things work for him because on this side of the fence, the absurd is often welcome.
Revenge of the Gweilo is Hill’s contribution to Asian mafia films. There are homages to martial arts films, mafia films, and even samurai epics. The actor/writer/director accomplishes, in his own way, a tribute to a genre he probably grew up with, as we all did. He adds his usual pinch of thriller tropes, and manages to make a film that won’t exactly change the indie universe. Nevertheless, Revenge of the Gweilo is entertaining enough for those seeking campy goods, even when the movies drift off to other territories that require a bit more sophistication.
Filmmakers take themselves too seriously most of the time. Nathan Hill is not that guy. He feels comfortable transitioning inside the filmmaking universe he has built without much budget, and with the help of his friends. Auteurs of his quality should be celebrated, but not compared. It’s completely unnecessary and boring, and Hill’s movies are the opposite of that.
