Recent Reviews
DVD Review: BOTCHED
By Dave Dreher

May 13, 2008, 08:57

An interesting mix of crime caper and horror film BOTCHED attempts to sell itself as a bit of a comedy but I'm afraid that I didn't find much to laugh about on this release. That's not to say it isn't good, it just isn't funny. You know you've got problems when it keeps getting compared to SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Hell, not even the guys to made SHAUN OF THE DEAD could make another film like it so when I see the SOTD comparison I naturally get a little suspicious.

So while the film doesn't work as comedy in any way it does instead make a bit of a mark as a caper / horror film. The plot is very convoluted and actually rather silly but in the end those involved do make it work so lets get into if just a bit.

As the film opens we meet Ritchie played by Dorff who along with his gang or cronies is about to steal a suitcase full of diamonds as final payment of a debt that he owes to the Russian mafia for years earlier getting him and his family out of Russia and to the states. Seems that this Russian baddie has been pretty much abusing poor Ritchie ever since getting him out of the country but that is about to end as this is the final time Ritchie will have to put his life on the line. Problem is that as they are getting away they are involved in a horrible traffic accident and Ritchie is the only one who escapes and he also looses the jewels.

He has to go back to his Russian mobster boss and inform him of the situation. Needless to say the news is not taken well and Ritchie finds himself having to go back out and do one more last heist.

Ritchie is heading back to Russia and he has to swipe a a cross that once belonged to Ivan The Terrible.

Turns out that the cross is located in the penthouse of a super secure highrise in Moscow. All Ritchie has to do is hook up with some Russian mobster dudes, sneak in, steal the cross and bring it back to head baddie. Debt paid and Ritchie can live out the rest of his life in the states free of the mob.

Soooo, they make it to the highrise, they make it to the cross, so far so good but then one of the mobsters kills a passer by and things start to go bad. Our crew boards the elevator to the ground floor and sweet freedom. Problem is, there are a few people from the building in the elevator (or lift as they say in the film) and before our troop knows it they are smack dab in the middle of their very own hostage situation.

Realizing that they can't leave the building with a bunch of hostage in tow they get off the elevator to try and figure out what to do next. Things get complicated as they soon come to the realization that they are on a floor of the building that doesn't seem to really exist or exists on some kind of “other plain” or something. It is never really explained why or how the floor exists nor is it explained why on this floor also exists a sword swirling viking looking guy who begins hunting and killing all trapped on the floor.

I think he's supposed to be Ivan the Terrible who's bejeweled cross Ritchie and crew have just stole. Things get violent and very bloody really quickly and the although the film leaves a lot of questions unanswered it still manages to entertain and ends up being a gore filled romp that I for the most part enjoyed.

I guess what annoyed me most was the fact that I kept waiting for these great comedic moments that for me just never came. Perhaps it's just me and I just didn't get.

But in the long run it still doesn't end up ruining the film as it really does stand on it's own merits as a horror / action film.

BOTCHED is available as we speak so go grab it and check it out.