Plot: Bill (Brendan Fletcher) lives at home with his parents, who want to see him go back to school to build toward a better life, but he feels trapped with no real prospects, the pressure builds. He feels that pressure hit a new level when his parents finally make an ultimatum, that he has to return to school and go out on his own, as they can no longer support him. Bill is irate and feels betrayed, but a lunch conversation with his friend Evan (Shaun Sipos) helps him calm down a little. Evan tells him the world is for those who take what they want, not those who try to do things the right way, a concept that sinks in with Bill. This leads to him making plans to paintball the next day and telling his parents he will start on a new chapter of his life soon. But when Bill wakes up the next day, his plan for a new life is a much darker, more violent path than anyone could have ever expected.

Entertainment Value: A dark, often nihilistic thriller from the mind of Uwe Boll, Rampage is a solid, effective movie. As Boll is behind the camera, some will dismiss the movie right off or see the armor-clad shooter and write it off, but Rampage is more than the violent spree that Bill unleashes. The build to that point is heavy handed and perhaps oversimplified, but Boll makes an effort to send some shockwaves out, that society is fucked all around. This is not an in depth social examination by any means, but it tells an interesting story and puts some effort into Bill as a character, so I think Rampage works quite well on most levels. I don’t think the movie is sympathetic toward Bill, but time is taken to flesh him out as a character, especially his feelings about his place in the world and how he feels trapped. Brendan Fletcher is quite good in the lead, able to convey the building pressure inside Bill and also the immense chip on his shoulder, without going too over the top. Of course, once the rampage begins, he dials up the dark humor, but that makes sense, as Bill is having fun during his spree. The rest of the cast is fine as well, with Matt Frewer, Michael Pare, and Lynda Boyd in prominent roles, while Katharine Isabelle has a brief, but memorable part. Rampage is a solid movie and worth a look for fans of dark thrillers, or the controversial works of Uwe Boll.

No nakedness. The movie focuses on Bill’s snap from reality, then turns to violence until the end credits roll. Rampage has frequent scenes of violence, some in dream-like flashes and then once the spree begins, things really roll into motion. The actual rampage has a moderate amount of bloodshed, but honestly given the level of violence involved, there’s not gratuitous crimson present. A scene where Bill mows down a small group of hostages produces the most bloodshed, with a lot of splashy squibs, but otherwise the blood is usually minor and brief. A lot of gun fire, some explosions and such, but not the tidal wave of blood some might expect. The dialogue is mostly Bill’s social theories, but he also has some quips once he unleashes his spree. The bingo hall is a highlight, but overall, not a lot of wild dialogue in this one. The movie doesn’t get all that wild or outlandish for the most part, though the spree has some offbeat moments. But overall, more serious and reeled in than you might think.

Nudity: 0/10

Blood: 4/10

Dialogue: 1/10

Overall Insanity: 2/10

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