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Champagne and Bullets belongs on the Mount Rushmore of bad movies
The Verge's weekend editor Terrence O'Brien reviews Champagne and Bullets (also released as GetEven and Road to Revenge), a low-budget action film he ranks alongside notorious "so bad they're good" cult classics like The Room, Troll 2 and Fateful Findings. The film is almost entirely the creation of one man, John De Hart, who wrote, directed and stars in it, and the review argues its combination of incompetence and unchecked ambition makes it a standout entry in outsider cinema.
The film follows disgraced cop Rick Bode (De Hart) and his partner Huck Finney, whose lives unravel after they lose their badges, alongside a subplot involving Bode's ex-girlfriend fleeing a satanic cult. Notable oddities include an awkward musical number performed by De Hart while reportedly on painkillers, three lengthy sex scenes totalling 12 minutes of the 90-minute runtime, and fight scenes described as unconvincing. The review notes the film contains a scene depicting sexual assault, and says it is currently available to watch on Hoopla, Amazon Prime and Tubi.
In short
- Verge critic calls Champagne and Bullets one of cinema's worst films
- Writer-director-star John De Hart made it almost single-handedly
- Film features bizarre musical number, long sex scenes, weak action
Explained simply
Champagne and Bullets is a low-budget independent action film that has attracted critical attention as an example of "outsider cinema". This term describes films made largely outside the conventional film industry, typically characterised by ambitious creative vision combined with limited professional resources. Previous cult classics like The Room and Troll 2 fall into this category.
The film was written and directed by John De Hart, who also stars as Rick Bode, a disgraced police officer. It contains a musical sequence, extended explicit content, and various action and dramatic plot elements across its ninety-minute length.
Critics and audiences interested in outsider cinema have taken notice because the film exemplifies the category: individual creative vision realised with minimal conventional industry structure or oversight. The work is available on streaming platforms including Amazon Prime, Tubi and Hoopla.
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