Rampage (2009 film)
Encyclopedia
Rampage is a 2009 mass murder thriller film directed by Uwe Boll
and starring Brendan Fletcher
, Michael Paré
, Shaun Sipos
, Lynda Boyd
and Robert Clarke. Also appearing were Matt Frewer
, Katharine Isabelle
and Michaela Mann
. Unlike many of Boll's previous directorial efforts, and despite sharing the name of a video game series
, Rampage was not an adaptation of a video game.
armor, complete with a ballistic helmet and a paintball
mask. He then goes on a killing spree. He is 23 years old, lives with his parents and he works a low-paid job as a mechanic. Psychologically, he is continually bombarded with the problems of the world, by ubiquitous TV sets, radios, and the views of Evan Drince, who seems to be his sole friend. One day, hurt, after his parents tell him that it's time he left home, and tired of being victimized by his boss at work, Bill acts upon his plan to reduce the town's population. He believes overcrowding causes the world's problems.
Bill dons his suit of Kevlar armor, and goes to town. First he incapacitates the police by car-bombing their headquarters with a bomb-loaded van. He then begins to kill the residents of the town, shooting people at random, including the coffee shop owner with whom he earlier had argued about not preparing the coffee as he ordered. He robs a bank, killing some of the employees. Outside the bank he puts on a show by burning fake money, which he had printed up earlier, to show that it is worthless and causes the problems of the world.
After the killings, Bill calls Evan Drince, who is in a forest nearby expecting him for a mano a mano
paintball competition. When he arrives at the forest, Bill apologizes to Evan for having him wait for an hour. He then immobilizes Evan with a stun gun
, places a pistol in his hand, and shoots him in the head to simulate suicide. Bill leaves the body of Evan wearing the armor suit, and holding the weapons of the massacre. He leaves the forest and makes his way home, before his parents arrive with horror stories about the killings in town. While they are conversing in front of the television, news stations report that they have identified the killer as 21 year old Evan Drince. After his parents console him on the loss of his friend, he tells him he is tired and goes to his room to sleep. In his room, while packing his belongings and stolen bank money, he hears a local television news report that police have arrested Evan's father, a well-known extremist political crank. Bill leaves the house of his parents, as told. The story of the mass murder
concludes with a video recording of Bill announcing his departure on a personal quest to unknown whereabouts, to further reduce the world's population.
project in the US and was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on June 1, 2010, by Phase 4 Films.
for director Uwe Boll's "evolution" in style, "almost as if the German Ed Wood has taken a deep look into the mirror, reflected on his films, and made a turn for the better". In contrast Variety
called it "uncompromising and nearly unwatchable (as much for its subject as for its nauseating visual style)".
Uwe Boll
Uwe Boll is a German director, producer and screenwriter, whose work includes several films adapted from video games. He finances his own films through his Boll KG production company. He is often cited as the worst director of all time.-Early life:...
and starring Brendan Fletcher
Brendan Fletcher
Brendan Fletcher is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Fletcher was born in Comox Valley, British Columbia and went to junior high school at Lake Trail in Courtenay, British Columbia....
, Michael Paré
Michael Paré
- Early life :Paré was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Joan, a homemaker, and Francis Paré, who owned print shops. He had six sisters and three brothers. Paré's father was of French-Canadian ancestry and his mother of Irish ancestry....
, Shaun Sipos
Shaun Sipos
Shaun Sipos is a Canadian actor. Sipos is perhaps best known for playing David Breck on The CW series Melrose Place.-Career:...
, Lynda Boyd
Lynda Boyd
Lynda Boyd is a Canadian actress, singer, dancer, musician, and writer. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the Hollywood films Final Destination 2 , An Unfinished Life , She's the Man , and On Thin Ice, with Diane Keaton...
and Robert Clarke. Also appearing were Matt Frewer
Matt Frewer
Matthew "Matt" Frewer is a Canadian American stage, TV and film actor. Acting since 1983, he is known for portraying the 1980s icon Max Headroom and the retired villain Moloch in the film adaptation of Watchmen.-Life and career:...
, Katharine Isabelle
Katharine Isabelle
Katherine Isobel Murray , better known by her screen name Katharine Isabelle, is a Canadian actress, best known for her portrayal of Ginger in Ginger Snaps, and as Gibb in Freddy vs. Jason.-Biography:...
and Michaela Mann
Michaela Mann
Michaela Susan Mann is a Canadian actress, and a member of the UBCP. She currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Career:...
. Unlike many of Boll's previous directorial efforts, and despite sharing the name of a video game series
Rampage (series)
Rampage is a series of video games released by Midway for various consoles. The basic premise of the series is that, due to a lab accident, the player controls a human transformed into a giant monster...
, Rampage was not an adaptation of a video game.
Plot
Bill Williamson, a man determined to exact revenge upon the fictional town of Tenderville, Oregon, builds a full-body suit of KevlarKevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
armor, complete with a ballistic helmet and a paintball
Paintball
Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...
mask. He then goes on a killing spree. He is 23 years old, lives with his parents and he works a low-paid job as a mechanic. Psychologically, he is continually bombarded with the problems of the world, by ubiquitous TV sets, radios, and the views of Evan Drince, who seems to be his sole friend. One day, hurt, after his parents tell him that it's time he left home, and tired of being victimized by his boss at work, Bill acts upon his plan to reduce the town's population. He believes overcrowding causes the world's problems.
Bill dons his suit of Kevlar armor, and goes to town. First he incapacitates the police by car-bombing their headquarters with a bomb-loaded van. He then begins to kill the residents of the town, shooting people at random, including the coffee shop owner with whom he earlier had argued about not preparing the coffee as he ordered. He robs a bank, killing some of the employees. Outside the bank he puts on a show by burning fake money, which he had printed up earlier, to show that it is worthless and causes the problems of the world.
After the killings, Bill calls Evan Drince, who is in a forest nearby expecting him for a mano a mano
Mano-a-mano
Mano-a-mano is a Spanish construction meaning "hand to hand". It was used originally for bullfights where two matadors alternate competing for the admiration of the audience....
paintball competition. When he arrives at the forest, Bill apologizes to Evan for having him wait for an hour. He then immobilizes Evan with a stun gun
Stun gun
Stun gun may refer to:*Electroshock weapon, an incapacitant weapon that momentarily disables a person with an electric shock*Directed-energy weapon, a weapon that emits energy in an aimed direction without projectile, if it causes unconsciousness...
, places a pistol in his hand, and shoots him in the head to simulate suicide. Bill leaves the body of Evan wearing the armor suit, and holding the weapons of the massacre. He leaves the forest and makes his way home, before his parents arrive with horror stories about the killings in town. While they are conversing in front of the television, news stations report that they have identified the killer as 21 year old Evan Drince. After his parents console him on the loss of his friend, he tells him he is tired and goes to his room to sleep. In his room, while packing his belongings and stolen bank money, he hears a local television news report that police have arrested Evan's father, a well-known extremist political crank. Bill leaves the house of his parents, as told. The story of the mass murder
Mass murder
Mass murder is the act of murdering a large number of people , typically at the same time or over a relatively short period of time. According to the FBI, mass murder is defined as four or more murders occurring during a particular event with no cooling-off period between the murders...
concludes with a video recording of Bill announcing his departure on a personal quest to unknown whereabouts, to further reduce the world's population.
Cast
- Brendan FletcherBrendan FletcherBrendan Fletcher is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Fletcher was born in Comox Valley, British Columbia and went to junior high school at Lake Trail in Courtenay, British Columbia....
as Bill - Michael ParéMichael Paré- Early life :Paré was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Joan, a homemaker, and Francis Paré, who owned print shops. He had six sisters and three brothers. Paré's father was of French-Canadian ancestry and his mother of Irish ancestry....
as Sheriff Melvoy - Shaun SiposShaun SiposShaun Sipos is a Canadian actor. Sipos is perhaps best known for playing David Breck on The CW series Melrose Place.-Career:...
as Evan - Lynda BoydLynda BoydLynda Boyd is a Canadian actress, singer, dancer, musician, and writer. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the Hollywood films Final Destination 2 , An Unfinished Life , She's the Man , and On Thin Ice, with Diane Keaton...
as Bill's mom - Robert Clarke as Evan's father
- Matt FrewerMatt FrewerMatthew "Matt" Frewer is a Canadian American stage, TV and film actor. Acting since 1983, he is known for portraying the 1980s icon Max Headroom and the retired villain Moloch in the film adaptation of Watchmen.-Life and career:...
as Bill's dad - Katey Grace as Bank Teller
- Brent Hodge as Bingo Hall Server
- Katharine IsabelleKatharine IsabelleKatherine Isobel Murray , better known by her screen name Katharine Isabelle, is a Canadian actress, best known for her portrayal of Ginger in Ginger Snaps, and as Gibb in Freddy vs. Jason.-Biography:...
as Beauty Staff #2 - Malcolm Stewart as Bank Manager
- Pale Christian Thomas as Gelato Server
- Michaela MannMichaela MannMichaela Susan Mann is a Canadian actress, and a member of the UBCP. She currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Career:...
as Waitress
Release
While receiving a theatrical opening in Boll's native Germany, the film is a direct-to-videoDirect-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
project in the US and was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on June 1, 2010, by Phase 4 Films.
Reception
Not widely reviewed, Rampage received mixed response, and was noted by Bloody DisgustingBloody Disgusting
Bloody Disgusting is a website that covers horror movies with reviews, interviews and news. It is currently run by Brad Miska, and Tom Owen. According to one source, the site has 1.5 million unique visitors and 20 million page views each month. It is widely considered to be the "world's most...
for director Uwe Boll's "evolution" in style, "almost as if the German Ed Wood has taken a deep look into the mirror, reflected on his films, and made a turn for the better". In contrast Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
called it "uncompromising and nearly unwatchable (as much for its subject as for its nauseating visual style)".