Director – Richard Griffin (Strapped for Danger, The Disco Exorcist)
Starring – Anthony Gaudette (Long Night in a Dead City, Strapped for Danger), Derek Laurendeau (The Sins of Dracula, A Strange Arrangement), and Bruce Church (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Disco Exorcist)
Release Date – 2018
Rating – 4/5
This was one review I was looking for. Director Richard Griffin is one of the most versatile filmmakers to grace the indie movie scene. He has tackled musicals, action, sci-fi, Shakespeare, and, of course, horror. He is easily one of my favorite directors and his films never disappoint.
Not long ago he released the LGBT heist film Strapped for Danger and it was a really enjoyable film. Sadly, some people that like to sniff their own farts decided that a film centered around gay characters deserved their time and decided to share their closed minded religious beliefs. So I was forced to spend a better portion of a week defending my review on social media until they got bored of me trolling them and moved on. I always find it funny that people who claim to be against homosexuality spend all their free time thinking about it.
Anyway, after the success Griffin had with Strapped for Danger he decided to knock out another gay action film filled with political satire and sci-fi. Several weeks ago Richard reached out for me to review his new film Code Name: Dynastud. I was unable to get to the film in a timely manner due to a family emergency but I’m glad I was finally able to take the time out to see it. Thank you Richard!
**Spoiler Alert**The year is 2024 and its illegal to be gay. The far right has won their war on homosexuality and being gay could result in the death penalty. Gay bars are now hidden and are used as an underground route for homosexuals to reach Canada. Caught in the middle of all this is Bart (Laurendeau) who is now a pawn to a corrupt senator who forces him to marry his daughter so she will stop sleeping around and ruining his good name. If he fails to produce the senator a male heir he will be killed.
On his wedding night he is rescued by Dynastud. Dynastud needs his semen to awaken his lover Bruce Li so they can make love and make the world a better place for all the gay men and women. The only thing standing in their way is Bart’s scorned wife and her homophobic father who now has an anti-gay gun.**Spoiler Alert**
I honestly didn’t know what to expect with Code Name: Dynastud. I knew it would be good. Richard has yet to let me down but how would this one play out? I can honestly say I was not expecting what I saw on my television that night.
The acting in this one is fantastic. The film’s leads Anthony Gaudette, Derek Laurendeau, and Bruce Church were fucking fantastic. They all worked so well together and gave the viewer some unforgettable characters. If the Senator does not return for another film I will kick my dog. I really love my dog and don’t want to kick him but I feel that it is necessary to get my point across. Don’t make me kick my dog. The supporting cast is just as good as the film’s lead which is a quality that I expect from Griffin and his films.
The story for this one almost feels like a joke taken to the most entertaining extreme. I’ve heard several friends and family mention how they would love to kill certain politicians over their closed minded and bigoted views. Dynastud almost feels like this was an inside joke alone those lines and then the political satire, the sci-fi, martial arts, and humor was added. I absolutely loved how Richard approached this and showed us a future that sounds like a far stretch but honestly isn’t that big of a stretch at all.
Finally, this one has several deaths. Some are off screen and play on the styling of the old spy films from the 60s and 70s. They are funny and fit the story but gorehounds will want to check out some of Richard’s earlier films. Overall, Code Name: Dynastud is the funniest movie I’ve watched this year and easily my favorite film from director Richard Griffin. I cannot recommend this movie enough. Check it out whenever you get the chance!
