If you’ve been watching b (z) movies for any length of time you’re probably familiar with David A. Pryor’s work even if you don’t recognize the name. Deadly Prey, Killer Workout (AKA Aerobicide, great OST btw), Future Force (David Carradine’s flying hand), etc. His first full length, Sledgehammer, is what happens when you get your friends together during a weekend by the lake, give your real life bodybuilding brother the lead role, forget about a plot, have a hundred dollar budget, are obsessed with slo-mo, wipes, fade-outs, and bad synths, do your own fx work, have one VHS camera, and somehow against all odds manage to get your efforts on video store shelves in the 80’s. If this sounds compelling to you then you are probably a psychopath.
I will say that even though there are a million things this movie is not, what it is is sincere. There’s not a hint of wink wink look at how shitty I can be, tongue-in-cheek irony here that I abhor when watching modern films that purposely strive to be quirky and so-bad-it’s-good. Every non-actor here is doing their best, every weird angled shot, bad synth note, and unbelievable line of dialogue are the efforts of a man who is clearly creating a labor of love. I have to admire at least that even if the results are absolute dogshit.
⭐ 1/2 out of ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Thank you for your service ;-)
You put it to words better than I’m capable of, but there really is a delightful sincerity to some of my favorite B movies. The extra-pregnant pause before a slightly rushed line of dialogue comes spilling out.
It’s the feeling that leaves me with a small smile through all the closing credits.
I absolutely agree about the sincerity. Honestly give me an ineptly made movie any day where the filmmaker at least did his best to bring his creative vision alive using the limited tools at his disposal over a billion dollar cookie cutter blockbuster created by a focus group.
