BAD ASS

US, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Danny Trejo, Charles S. Dutton, Ron Perlman, Harrison Page.
Directed by Craig Moss.

Bad Ass is a bit better than it might sound. It stars Danny Trejo, a rather hard-faced actor who is often in villain roles. His starring role was in the Machete films?
He stars as a Vietnam veteran who is rescued by his friend, Klondike, during the war. However, on his return, public opinion is against the veterans, he is unable to get a job because he has no qualifications and has to sell goods on the street. 40 years later, by chance, he is on a bus and defends an African American man from a street gang. His fight is filmed and his reputation is made, being honoured by the city of Los Angeles.

A story develops when Klondike is killed by a gang, leading to a criminal leader, played by Charles S. Dutton, who is in league with the mayor, Ron Perlman, who is corrupt but is running for re-election on a clean city platform.

This leads to Bad Ass investigating further, making connections, confronting Panther and finally winning some vindication.

The film was written and directed by the aching wind and the 40 year old virgin who knocked up Sarah Marshall and felt superbad about it. Not a great commendation for this film. But, he has improved.

1. The title and tone? Expectations? A film about attitude, about violence? Danny Trejo as the hero, his past roles, especially Machete?

2. A Los Angeles story, Los Angeles over the decades, the Hispanic area, the sixties and seventies and the experience of the Vietnam War, post-Vietnam, streets, transport, gangs, violence? Vigilante action? The police? The musical score?

3. Frank’s story, as a boy, his relationship with his mother, his hopes? Enlisting for Vietnam, his experiences there? Capture, torture, rescue? His girlfriend, by the river, the hopes and promises, his return and her marriage and having children? The aftermath, people ignoring him, the anti-Vietnam spirit, his going for job interviews, the long hair, the beard, no prospects, no qualifications? Selling goods on the street? An ordinary citizen?

4. On the bus, the gang, the harassment of the black man, his reaction, the fight, his strength, his being filmed, the video and Youtube and its going viral, gaining a reputation, the fans, celebrity and autographs?

5. The police, honouring him, the officer being his friend, discussing cases, Frank going riding with him? The reactions? The young boy, his mother? His help?

6. The effect on Frank self-confidence, going into action, his mother’s death, the funeral?

7. Klondike, the past bond because of Vietnam and the rescue, his going to the street, the brutal confrontation and his death? Having information in his possession? Frank’s reaction? Going to the police, the Indian officer and saying it was being fully investigated, Frank seeing the police take time off? His reaction, going into action, seeing out the information, the wife of the leader, the basketball game, his interrogation, his investigations?

8. The background, the mayor, his speeches, running for office? His wanting order in the streets? Yet his deals, the gangs, violence, Panther and his orders?

9. From traveling by bus, his shorts, a rather low key variation of Death Wish?

10. The dangers, the wife and her being bashed? The woman next door, the bond? The boy?

11. Panther, his role, the confrontation, the gangs, his men? The fights, Frank’s vindication?

12. A vigilante film with a difference?