Jason Wallach
Independent
Wed, 11.19.08
06:43 pm

I have seen many films in my life thus far and some of them fall flat and some of them don’t. Ron Atkins’ Mutilation Mile, to put it mildly, is a steel-toed head on Exploitation kick in the balls! It can almost be said that there’s too much energy being pumped through this film. So this film definitely, in no way, falls flat… though depending on what you can handle from a film as high powered and deranged as this one YOU might.

Independent cult filmmaker Ron Atkins brings his latest creation to vivid visceral life in ways that films have not been constructed and animated since the Exploitation films of the 70’s. What’s remarkable about this film are two main things; the first being that only the style of the thing nods to a time of better film making whereas the film itself is something entirely its own animal. The second thing about this film is the performances of the two main stars of the show Daniel McCabe and Lawrence Buchér. These two actors are professionally trained and it shows, their performances scorch this film and leave the viewer shaking his / her head breathlessly wondering, “What the fuck was that?” I myself have watched the film several times and am in awe of their performances.The dialog and performance nuances beg repeated viewings.

Daniel McCabe and Lawrence Buchér portray Jimmy and Jack Degrasso, two brothers estranged by a drug deal gone wrong which may or may not have cost their uncle Sal his life. When the brothers discover their uncle’s death they embark on a paranoid drug-induced rampage killing anyone and everyone in their path. The brother’s play off of each other as two different sides of the same coin, Jimmy is simply out of his mind and having a good time whereas Jack is externalizing his anxiety and fury at finding his uncle with this throat slit in their motel room bathroom. The brothers already don’t truly get along and the play between them is interesting, nasty and downright fucking hilarious at times as all the while they search for anyone who knows anything about their uncle’s killer. As they get closer to their goal their emotions become even more raw and real and by the end of the film you feel as though you might have ingested as much coke as Jimmy does throughout the film.

I was highly entertained by this film and my interest was held throughout. The production quality is high and the film is wonderfully executed. This is Ron Atkins first film in 3 years and this film marks a triumphant return, two of those three were spent creating and crafting the film… and when you see it you’ll understand the absence. Atkins has re-invented himself as a “take-no-prisoners” filmmaker who has proven himself to be as serious about film making as the Degrasso brothers are about finding their uncle’s killer.

The special effects are realistic and in one particular scene will prove to make even Vietnam Veterans cringe. If the scene isn't cut from theatrical or DVD release you will know exactly which scene I speak of... you haven't seen anything like it. Special FX newcomer Kimberly Bell seems to have her game down and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her getting more work after this film. The score by Kristian Day is an experimental electronic piece that is both haunting and wonderfully resonant. I haven’t seen an exploitation film this jarring since the 1970’s and that’s a testament to Atkins’ mode of attack. The film itself will undergo private screenings for the sake of investors and critics to whet their appetites with. Hopefully this will lead to widely spread public screenings.
The website will be up soon at www.mutilationmile.com complete with information, merchandise and trailer.
In the meantime you can visit the MySpace site at http://www. myspace.com/mutilationmile and for more information on the films of Director Ron Atkins visit www.cutthroatvideo.com.

I honestly have to say that I would not miss this film, it’s great! Keep an eye out.