Manborg

Alright, before I start this review, I need to point out a few things. First off, this is coming from the whacky Canadian Astron-6 film team who is known for crafting the best in low-budget 80s-inspired horror comedies. If you just read that last sentence, found yourself scratching your head and going, "That sounds horrible," then get the fuck off this article because you don't know what you're dealing with. Second is that this film was only made on a budget of $1000. So, don't come in here expecting some sort of Michael Bay produced film whose effects are so gargantuan that each frame of the film will cost $250,000 to render. And, lastly, you need to take this film for what it is, and not go in expecting anything more than how it presents itself. So, get ready, because "Manborg" is coming for ya.

Now, "Manborg" is directed by Steven Kostanski, who has been making films since he was 12. He always had a fondness for stop motion animation, which is clearly shown in "Manborg" (more on that later), but he also has a decent reputation in the film industry. For example, he worked on 2013's blockbuster film "Pacific Rim" as a Creature FX artist. Not many people can say they've even come close to doing such a thing. He is also one of the equal partners under the Astron-6 name, so there's that as well.

"Manborg", however, is a film that was released in 2011 in DVD and digital formats, and, well, the results were both equally amusing as they were fun. Set during the Hell Wars, a soldier (Matthew Kennedy) fights off Count Draculon (Adam Brooks) as his Nazi vampires seek to take over earth. After he is killed attempting to stop them, he reawakens in the future with a new cyborg body ready to kick more ass and kill Count Draculon. And if this plot set-up doesn't have you wanting to see this movie, again, you're in the wrong place.

Alright. Now. The acting itself is, well, pretty bad. Out of all the characters that make a major appearance on the film, I think Adam Brooks as Count Draculon and Meredith Sweeney as Mina put out the most exemplary performances. HOWEVER, this is how the film was meant to be made. This wasn't supposed to have the glorious, emotional acting that the Oscars call for. This is meant to be a goofy, sci-fi, horror, comedy film that its creator wanted it to be. And that's where the film nails it home.

I cannot tell you how much my friends and I were laughing as we watched this movie. Everything from the cheesy effects and punishingly bad dialogue made the film more and more hilarious as it went on. This is a film that makes you want to laugh without delivering a huge sad story (trust me, the ending deals with that in the best way possible).

Brooks also plays as Dr. Scorpious, who works for Count Draculon, and has some hilarious exchanges with Manborg; Conor Sweeney comes in as Justice, an Australian who can't read but can easily fire a gun; Jeremy Gillespie plays as the hysterical affection seeking prison warden The Baron; Andrea Karr plays as Shadow Mega, a silent character who's just deadly, and Mike Kostanski plays as Little Guy, who has a little part in the movie.

However, out of all the cast, my favorite was #1 Man, played by Ludwig Lee. While he has the moves to kick ass both on and off screen, what really made his character was that his voice was dubbed over by Kyle Herbert, who used his best Kung-Fu replica chords to make #1 Man shine as a character. His works include narrating the Dragon Ball Z anime series, and even being the voice for Ryu of "Street Fighter".

Now, the graphics also just completely make the film. From home made props to sets that look straight out of a junkyard, all the aesthetics are in place. Not only that, but the claymation added in even more fun, reassuring that "Manborg" is a film all about complete hysteria, and nothing more.

All in all, you get a fine, fine feature film. The only complaint that I really have is the amount of content packed into the film; I would have loved to see more backdrop, more dialogue and exchanges to reveal more of the characters' backgrounds. But, then again, that may have detracted from the whole experience.

Either way, it's the director's point of view, and he did a fantastic job with what he had to work with. If you're with a group of friends and you're looking for some cheap, quality home entertainment, look no further than "Manborg".

7/10