Spades

Director - John Wesley Norton (Doctor Spine)
Starring - Xango Henry (Nude Nuns with Big Guns), Thomas A. Jackson (College Debts), and Alex Skuby (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Release Date - 2015
Genre - Thriller
Tagline - "It's only a game until someone gets hurt"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Gangster and hit man movies have always fascinated men.  These films glamorize  the seedy side of humanity and take those that are sheltered and put them in the middle of a world that they are protected from.  When I think about these types of films I instantly think about Tarantino's first few films, Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, and how these turned hit men and hired guns into heroes.  These films often appeal to horror fans and men of all ages.  Who doesn't love a bad ass with a gun?  Recently, I was sent the thriller Spades to review from director John Wesley Norton.  Norton is the man that brought us the horror comedy Doctor Spine that I reviewed a few weeks back.  Thank you John for sending this one my way.  

     The film begins with four men sitting around a table playing cards.  Each man brings a different skill set and personality to the table.  They were sent to this house to take care of a man that is employed by their employer.  He was once a prolific serial killer known as The Professor and was called by this corporation to work for them as a hired gun.  Now the corporation wants him removed and sent in four of their own to take him out.  However, these four men do not know that this is actually an exercise for one of them to show off their talents and remove the other three for future employment with the corporation.
    I love when someone sends me a film that I know nothing about and it ends up being phenomenal.  Doctor Spine was a solid film, and having Tiffany Shepis is a plus, but the film was very rough around the edges.  I assumed Spades would be the same way but I was very wrong.  Spades is a fantastic film that was able to set some amazing atmosphere and suspense which is rare among indie films.  The acting in this one is fucking amazing.  Xango Henry, Thomas A. Jackson, Alex Skuby, and Juan Riedinger were all fantastic.  Their performances centered the film and they delivered some intense scenes.  All four were perfectly cast and I would love to see them all appear in a movie together in the future.  The story for this one makes you think it is going to go one way and then mind fucks you when it goes another.  This was a well thought out story that was flawlessly written.  The hit men sent in to kill a serial killer while a serial killer was among their group was nothing short of brilliant.  Finally, the film has several on screen kills but they are nowhere near the level of kills one would expect a film like this to have.  I was expecting to see the blood flowing like rivers and carnage to line the halls of the home but it did not.  We get some gunshot kills and the like but that is about it.  This was a let down but the film overall made up for it.  Overall, Spades is one fantastic film.  It has action, suspense, a powerhouse cast, and one hell of a story.  This is one film you will not want to skip.