As much as I love horror movies, I love gritty urban action flicks. Movies about gangs, revenge, and cops have always been a favorite of mine especially when set in the city and when the toughness of the setting comes through on the screen. Some movies that immediately come to mind when thinking of this genre are Walter Hill's The Warriors, numerous blaxploitation titles, and Jim Van Bebber's Deadbeat at Dawn. This is the movie that put Van Bebber on the map as a tough and uncompromising true independent filmmaker with a love for all things that make grindhouse movies great. The way he brings to screen numerous great locations from abandoned buildings and garbage filled alleys to cemeteries and trainyards and combines the scenery with a story about gang warfare and one man's revenge seems effortless. The movie is right at home in the genre and Van Bebber also gives us a way cool antihero in the form of Goose.

What I love most about this flick is how natural it feels. It never seems like Van Bebber is trying to be cool but rather he is just making a flick that he would like to watch himself. It reminds me of Tarantino in that the enthusiasm for the genre shines through in the way that can only happen if the filmmaker has this stuff ingrained in them. You cannot learn how to make movies like this, they just happen and Van Bebber captures the look and feel of the grainy and dirty street movies of the 70's and early 80's perfectly. The production value that he achieves with almost no money is unbelievable from the music to the stunts to people rappelling down parking garages.

Van Bebber himself stars as Goose, the leader of a gang called the Ravens who is under pressure to have a normal life with the girl he loves. He makes a decision to leave gang life but he has made some enemies including Danny (Paul Harper), the leader of the rival gang The Spiders who has a score to settle with our hero. Goose's happiness is short lived when some of The Spiders beat his woman to death while he is out. In despair, Goose goes to his father for help only to driven to near suicide at how pathetic his life has become. He is saved by the new leader of his former gang and informed that The Ravens and The Spiders have joined forces to rob an armored car and they want him involved. Goose agrees and eventually finds an opportunity to exact his revenge with the help of his kung-fu moves and lots and lots of fighting.

This is a simple story told in a simple way and the character of Goose is easy to connect to as he is a stand-up, likable character who is both cool and has a strong personal code of ethics. We spend nearly the entire movie with Goose and need to be on his side for this to work and there is never a moment when you are not hoping things work out for him (even when he is putting he girlfriend's body in a trash compactor). When Goose pulls out the throwing stars and nunchucks, you can't help but cheer. This movie is highly recommended to anyone who is into old-school action movies or gritty, underground flicks that show how the less fortunate members of society operate. Fans of Van Bebber's The Manson Family will recognize Marc Pitman (who played Tex Watson) as Danny's main, psychotic thug named Bonecrusher as well as a number of other actors in small roles. (Josh Pasnak, 2/20/11)

Directed By: Jim Van Bebber.
Written By: Jim Van Bebber.

Starring: Jim Van Bebber, Paul Harper, Marc Pitman, Megan Murphy.