Les Hackel (James Marsters) is just your typical guy, down on his luck and struggling to make his way in the world. When it seems that things can’t get any worse, he wakes up one morning with a bomb inside of him. Now tasked with doing the unthinkable, Les will have to find a way to survive and save the world. Abruptio is the uncomfortable journey through Les’ unfortunate situation.
I turned Abruptio on one morning, around 4am, and the moment I saw Les’ face I thought to myself: “There’s no fucking way I’m watching this right now.” Let’s be clear, films don’t scare me, but the aesthetic of the characters in this film is somewhat terrifying. It’s not something that I was mentally prepared to endure that early in the morning, and I’m not entirely sure that I would have been able to stomach the things that transpired had I tried to stick it out. Why even mention this? The reality is that Writer-Director Evan Marlowe wants to rattle his audience, he wants them to be worried, scared, overwhelmed, or whatever other word you can think of. That’s the point of Abruptio, to force us to think about every uncomfortable situation that we’ve ever endured, of every harsh reality that exists in this world and evaluate them to an infinite degree. I don’t think Marlowe cares if this experience is uncomfortable, as long as they understand what he’s trying to achieve.
Abruptio ultimately feels like a film about trauma, and how it can make people do unthinkable things. Les, who’s just a simple man that’s struggling to get through life, finds himself in precarious situations that seem outside of the realm of possibility. The fact of the matter is, however, that people in desperate situations can do wild things. That’s so wonderfully represented throughout the course of Abruptio. There is so much to unpack within this film, so much to learn–and given the aesthetic of the film, the stellar voice acting, and just about everything else, I think Marlowe does a wonderful job of conveying all that he hopes to.
The star power behind voicing these characters is just incredible. From Marsters to Jordan Peele (Danny) and Robert Englund (Mr. Salk) to Hana Mae Lee (Chelsea), every inch of this film is full of stardom. I don’t often see (or hear) these actors in these roles, and it’s nice to see them find their way to Abruptio. With that, their expertise and years of experience come in handy when trying to bring Abruptio to life–as they thrive in each of their respective roles and help to reel viewers into something brilliant.
It has to be said that Abruptio is not a film that will appeal to the masses, and the reality is that only a niche group of viewers will find the film appealing. It’s a unique production with seemingly chaotic visuals, gruesome details, and a wildly left-of-center way of bringing things to life–but it works for those of use that appreciate this kind of art. Abruptio was brought to life in order to educate more than it was to entertain, and Marlowe finds ways to make sure that both are achieved.
Written & Directed by Evan Marlowe.
Starring James Marsters, Christopher McDonald, Hana Mae Lee, Jordan Peele, Robert Englund, Sid Haig, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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