LIVESTOCK
Directed by Christopher Di Nunzio
2010 - 76 Minutes/Widescreen
DVD Provided by Creepy Kid Productions
Article written by Douglas A. Waltz

There is this mob called The Pack based out of Boston. Victor has been doing such a good job that the head of The Pack, Edgar, offers him a position in the organization. Victor has some underlings, Anthony, Natalia, and Bella. Their job is to procure meat for the pack and, you guessed it, it ain’t filet mignon. Unless you can get filet mignon from hookers and hoboes.

For no apparent reason we are whisked away to three girls sipping cosmos and talking about their lives. Annabelle is trying to make something of herself, as is Tina. Tina finds a man to help her career, and we soon discover that man is Victor. Throughout all of this there is an implication of some huge feast fast approaching that The Pack plans on celebrating in style. They just need enough meat.

I always try to find at least one thing nice to say about a film. After all, people put hard work into making them. Long days blending into long nights. That being said, I would have to say that Robert Hines does a magnificent job as the head of The Pack. He always looks like he is getting ready to snap. Every line is delivered by a man who has a tenuous grasp on his sanity and impulses. There, that’s my one nice thing. That’s all you’re gonna get.

See, these Pack dudes are vampires. This is not a spoiler in any way. It’s pretty obvious from the get go. This movie is filled with padding. People going down the street slower than any person would ever move. People in cars driving to places. Lots of padding. So much padding that they forgot to put a movie in here. The character development is nil. Everyone is nothing more than a glorified cardboard cut-out of a person. And, with the exception of Mr. Hines, the acting in this film is atrocious. The two storylines don’t mesh at all. They are mashed together in such a haphazard way that you just shake your head in disbelief. And a vampire flick where one of the Goth vampire chicks is named Bella? Really? Have you been living under a rock that you don’t know that there is already a Bella movie out there. A few of them I’ve been told.

There is a scene where two of the victims are locked in a tool shed of some kind. Their hands are tied behind them, their feet aren’t secure and they aren’t being watched. The vampires come in a few times to taunt them, but leave them alone for long stretches of time. There are over a hundred ways to free themselves and get out of there, but they wait until it is too late. Pathetic.

The ending of the film is abrupt and makes no sense. It’s like they forgot what the movie was about, leave the exposition to Edgar in a bizarre speech at the feast and then... Wham! Movie over. But that Robert Hines fella? I’d watch him in a movie again. Good actor in that guy.>