Spare Parts

Director - Andrew Thomas Hunt (Sweet Karma)

Starring - Julian Richings (Doom Patrol, Supernatural), Michelle Argyris (Shadowhunters, Hellcats), and Emily Alatalo (The Scarehouse, The Last Halloween)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Let the battle begin"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been in a rut lately.  The last few films that I watched and reviewed were pretty dull stuff with very little redeeming qualities.  I can't love everything sent my way to review but it seems when I get one in to check out that I don't like I find myself in a cycle of barely watching films.  I did enjoy the Carrie fan film from Concept Media but I then found myself in another lackluster movie experience with The iDol from SRS Cinemas.  I really needed something fun to watch next so I took a gamble on Spare Parts from RLJE Films.  The film looked fun but I had been burned in the past.

     The film follows an all female rock band on their first small tour when they encounter a weird "fan" after an altercation with a group of bikers.  When they leave the man follows them and drops a spike strip resulting in them calling a tow truck to take their van to get repaired.  This was all a ploy to get them to the junkyard where they are drugged and each one has an arm amputated with a metal socket implanted to use various weapons to fight gladiator style as part of a small town sacrifice to the gods.

     I didn't know what I was getting myself into with Spare Parts.  The artwork was really cool and the title made me think it was going to go one way but that was not the case at all.  The title is a bit misleading but I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  I liked the characters and the cast really delivered some intense performances.  A lot of the scenes in this one was very demanding and everyone stepped up to the plate.  The supporting cast does a fantastic job as well with some of my favorite performances coming from characters with very little screen time.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The title and artwork made me think that this was some sort of Frankenstein type action hybrid but that was not the case.  I'm actually glad it wasn't what I was expecting because the pagan blood sacrifice angle mixed with the gladiator style battles and characters really made for a fun late night movie experience.  The movie does drag it's feet during the middle of the run time but it picks it back up as the film reaches the third and fourth act.  Finally, the film is extremely bloody and violent.  The props and practical effects look great.  The fighting choreography was not the best but once you get to the kills and the bloodshed you won't mind the goofy fight scenes.  Overall, Spare Parts is not the hyperviolent grindhouse style film the movie wants you to think it is but it is an entertaining movie with a solid story and great cast.  The kills work for the film but they are not that memorable.  I recommend checking this one out.