If you’re looking for some action this weekend, you might be interested in Overrun.
Writer/director Josh Tessier and actor/producer Omid Zader have joined forces for this action-packed feature that leans heavily into comedy with good results.
Between them, they have over 100 film and TV credits as stunt actors and coordinators, and this film is their vision.
They shot the film in just 15 days, but you’d never guess it. It’s fun from start to finish, and the pacing is quick but not brutal.
It can’t be an easy accomplishment to film your vision; it’s even more challenging to do it in such a short time.
Zader stars as Marcus Lombardi, a former extraction specialist who finds himself in a bit of a pickle when his sister is discovered to be an informant for an underworld kingpin, Ray Barren (Robert Miano).
Marcus gets his friends, who all have specific and handy sets of skills, together to help him go toe-to-toe with the Russian mob to clear the family of threats.
That sets him on a collision course not only with the mob but a series of law enforcement officers and assassins trying to stop him from retrieving a package for Ray.
Even though it’s far from any jungle or desert, the pacing and continual obstacles to his goal make Overrun feel more like a low-scale action-adventure in the vein of Raiders of the Lost Ark or National Treasure.
That must be a testament to Tessiers’ directing capabilities.
As Overrun began, I had doubts that Zader could pull off a leading role, even in his own movie. At times appearing stiff and uncertain, and with only 15 days to shake it off, he did an admirable job.
By the time the film ended, I was sorry to see the character go.
Zader’s got the stunts down, of course, but he’s also got a knack for infusing humor into his performance, and if he continues acting, he might wind up having careers as prolific as others on the Overrun cast.
The cast Tessier and Zader have amassed is quite impressive.
Bruce Dern, who recently starred in Amazon’s Goliath with Billy Bob Thornton, plays a Russian mobster. And, of course, he does it with gusto. Merely having him on set undoubtedly set an impressive tone.
Johnny Messner plays the lead detective who is surrounded by dirty cops, including a detective played by William Katt. Yes, that William Katt, although he is almost unrecognizable, sporting a trench, hat, and dorky glasses.
NYPD Blue and Blue Bloods star Nicholas Turturo is one of Marcus’ merry band of friends Marcus leans on during the mission.
Stunt performer Monette Moio stars as one of the assassins, and as another who typically isn’t face-to-face with the camera, she holds her own, making her character, assassin Ballista Grey, three-dimensional and enjoyable to watch.
With 15 days to film and created by first-time filmmakers, Overrun could have been a disaster.
Instead, Overrun is an enjoyable action-crime-adventure flick that suggests this won’t be the first of its such from the talented team.
Overrun can be found on AMAZON PRIME, VUDU, Itunes, Fandango, Youtube, Google play now and will be available on DVD in Walmart nationwide on November 16.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.