Cheese and Carnage: Unraveling ‘Axel Falcon’ a Dark Tale of Vengeance!
In Axel Falcon, director Bazz Hancher (Hate Little Rabbit) crafts an absorbing narrative that blends elements of childhood innocence, dark magic, and the relentless pursuit of justice. The film opens with Axel and Jake, two young boys destined to become warriors of light against the forces of darkness. Their carefree days playing in the fields are abruptly interrupted when Jake encounters a harpy/vampire in the woods, setting off a chain of events that will shape their lives forever.
Fast forward to the present day, where Axel Falcon, portrayed with steely determination by Richard Teasdale (Getting Away with Murder?), emerges as a dedicated cop determined to rid the streets of murder and corruption. However, tragedy strikes when his family is ruthlessly slaughtered by the sinister Davro (William Stafford, The Pocket Film of Superstitions), a villain whose appearance belies his malevolent intentions due to the choice of shaggy wig and bowler hat.
As Axel grapples with grief and loss, amidst the chaos, the police chief (Laura Liptrot), harbors a secret crush on Axel, and finds herself entangled in Davro’s web of deceit. When Axel delves deeper into the mystery surrounding his family’s murder, he uncovers a shocking revelation: the police chief, along with a significant portion of the department, is on Davro’s payroll. With his faith in the system shattered, Axel is left with no choice but to confront Davro, armed with a gun and his unwavering resolve and a thirst for vengeance.
The film’s narrative unfolds with a blend of tension, silly humor, and gore. An ’80s-style workout montage featuring Axel lifting weights adds a touch of comedy to the proceedings, while a great musical soundtrack underscores the gravity of Axel’s quest. Overall, the acting is also top-notch.
Of note, Severed Cinema’s own Jay Creepy (Beyond Fury) makes an appearance as one of Davro’s thugs, in a menacing yet twitchy role as Bosta, who is ordered to be killed after a mishap. Bosta meets his ultimate demise but not before witnessing his girlfriend Winter (played by Creepy’s real world partner Willow Brian, White Gardenia: The King James Bible), is murdered before his very eyes.
As Axel closes in on Davro, sorcerers emerge to challenge his resolve, while Davro’s maniacal laughter echoes through scenes of chaos and carnage, including a terrific eyeball torture scene. However, amidst the film’s gangster narrative, there are moments where the blending of gangster movie elements with vampire lore feels rather disjointed. The half-goofy conclusion may not resonate with all viewers, leaving some feeling that it is too foolish and is merely crowbarred in. Despite this drawback, Axel Falcon is chock to the brim with heart and remains an incredibly entertaining film that delivers cheese with its action and compelling characters, including a super cool Cyclopes android supervillain that steals the show.
The production of Axel Falcon was ripe with adversity as seen in the documentary, Darkly Took the Light. The cast and crew navigated through a series of unfortunate events that tested their resilience and commitment to the project. From the brink of a pandemic-related crisis with producer Michael Walcott’s near-fatal battle against Covid during post-production of another film, Hate Little Rabbit, to the startling incidents during the first screening where a woman fled the theater and director Bazz Hancher faced an unexpected assault, the journey was far from smooth. Tragically, also the loss of several other folks related to the production added another layer of grief and turmoil to the already tumultuous filming experience. Despite these setbacks, the resilience and determination of the team behind Axel Falcon persevered, demonstrating their unwavering dedication to bringing their vision to life amidst adversity.
Directed by: Bazz Hancher
Written by: Bazz Hancher, Michael Walcott, S.N. Sibley
Produced by: Bazz Hancher, Michael Walcott, James Underwood
Cinematography by: Bazz Hancher, James Underwood
Editing by: Bazz Hancher, Michael Walcott
Music by: Various
Special Effects by: Rachael Painter
Cast: Richard Teasdale, William Stafford, Laura Liptrot, Sarah Rorbach, Kemal Yildirim, Jay Creepy, Bazz Hancher, Willow Brian
Year: 2023
Country: UK
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 1h 31min
Studio: White Raven Films
Distributor: LBM Video
