Director – Dustin Mills (Snuffet, Applecart)
Starring – Dave Parker (The Bad Man, Headless), Allison Egan (Easter Casket, Skinless), and Brandon Salkil (Halloween Spookies, Invalid)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 3/5
There is nothing more exciting than getting a movie in from one of your favorite filmmakers. Sometime back I contributed to the crowdfunding campaign for Dustin Mills’ newest film RIP: Rest in Pieces. I was hoping the film would get released fairly quickly but some months went by and I forgot about it. A few days ago I was checking my junk email when I came across the crowdfunding email with the digital copy of the movie. I was going to wait until my blu copy came in but I was just too damn excited so I went ahead and watched the digital copy of the film.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a group of undesirables consisting of hire guns, hitmen, and cleaners, who are gathered by the local crime boss to visit an abandoned school to retrieve a bag. This seems like an easy enough task but what they don’t expect to find there is a hermit and an extremely powerful manic that does his bidding. **Spoiler Alert**
It had been sometime since we got an actual film from Dustin Mills. I know I reviewed his Haley Jay Horror Show blu earlier in the month but that was just a collection of shorts and music videos. Having a real film from him really had me pumped.
The acting in this one is very fun. Dave Parker has a bigger role in this one that I’ve previously seen and he really shows how natural he is in front of the camera. His accent is a little exaggerated but I enjoyed it. It added some light humor to the film. It was also nice to see Allison Egan in another movie. It has been sometime I was able to review a movie she was in. She is always entertaining and never afraid to bare it all for the scene. Her character is tough which only comes natural to her. I also enjoyed Kayla Elizabeth and Kenzie Phillip’s performances. They were great in front of the camera and their characters were very fun. The supporting cast is just as solid and I’m happy we get a return of Brandon Salkil. He was always one of my favorite parts of Mills’ earlier films.
The story for this one is not necessarily horror but the horror elements are there. The film, at it’s heart, is an organized crime movie with an ensemble cast of characters. The film is very focused on the characters and their backstories which the film does a great job at creating. The scenes are very dialogue heavy but it doesn’t drag the film down at all. In fact, the dialogue between the characters is very entertaining. With that being said, the action segments in the film are not as entertaining as previous films from Mills. You find yourself getting pulled in to their interactions but the more fast paced action scenes are a bit of a drag.
Finally, the film has some kills with some solid practical effects but the movie is not as visually stunning as other films from Mills. This time around he is going for the gritty and grounded look which works. The effects we get are solid but nothing stands out. Overall, RIP: Rest in Pieces is another great film from one of my favorite filmmakers. The cast is great, the story pulls you in, and we get some kills. I wouldn’t recommend it for your Halloween movie marathon but if you are looking for a decent indie movie this one is it.
