Dick Dynamite: 1944

Set in the later half of WWII, Dick Dynamite: 1944 is a labor of love for indie action cinema. The entirely self or crowd-funded film pits expert Nazi killer Dick Dynamite (Snars) against hordes of Nazis, zombies, and Nazi zombies as he must defy the odds and save the world. Written and directed by Robbie Davidson, Dick Dynamite takes the flair of 1940s serials combined with crude humor to create a violent homage to the horror comedy greats. At just a 90-minute run-time, the film promises a plethora of blood, bullets, and brains.

Dick Dynamite is renowned for his zeal and panache for killing Nazis. Despite a Court-martial for “brutal tactics,” the American high command has given him a second chance if he can accomplish a suicide mission deep into Nazi territory. Paired with a team a ragtag team of sociopaths, Dynamite and his squad must slay their way through the German high command to kill Colonel Maximilian and save the world. But, as Colonel Maximilian begins to dive further into horrific experiments, killing the Colonel may prove impossible for even the great Dick Dynamite.

“…Dynamite and his squad must slay their way through the German high command…”

Dick Dynamite: 1944 is a 2020s version of an 80s action hero fighting in the 1940s. From the over-the-top machine gun fire to the cheesy/iconic one-liners, it’s all bullets & explosions fun. It’s a classic semi-functional but highly effective soldier story that audiences have seen before, from the PG-13 versions in Wonder Woman and Captain America: The First Avenger to the Rated-R version in Fury and Inglorious Bastards. Dick Dynamite fits into the R category and shares more DNA with James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad than Steve Rogers and his “Howling Commandos.” At times, characters feel flat or similar, but lack of characterization rarely detracts from the promises of mayhem in the opening scenes.

Robbie Davidson makes the most of his budget, creating breezy, brutal action sequences and delivering plenty of Nazi kills. Dick Dynamite features fewer zombies than expected but still manages to offer enough action to balance the sometimes lack of undead. Davidson and his cast make the action feel spectacular, blending mysterious action with play-it-straight comedy with ease. Humor is ripped straight from a stereotypical junior high boy, which is either a colossal plus or negative, depending on the viewer (though it always feels authentic to a character named “Dick Dynamite”).

It’s crude, ultra-violent, funny, cheesy, and everything you want in an indie action comic. Every scene of Davidson’s version feels like the adrenaline-filled pages of a Gareth Ennis-esque comic. The pitch to Aftershock Comics or Kickstarter backers writes itself; gun-blazing, muscle-bound Dick Dynamite kills swarms of Nais, zombies, and Nazi zombies; new issue every month. Dick Dynamite translates well to the screen but might benefit from the limitless possibilities of a comic book. Those who funded and created Dynamite will love the finished product, but those outside the intended audience may be difficult converts. Ending credits already promise a return of Dick Dynamite for future adventures. While the original has its flaws, Dick Dynamite is more than capable of becoming a delightfully destructive indie franchise.