Fans always do it better. Bradford Jackson’s Contra brings us a fitting homage to the classic arcade and console video game of the same name. Our tale begins with ripped former commando Bill living his days as a very damaged civilian, only to be approached by Colonel Blood, who wants him to go out on one last mission for the sake of his country. Bill won’t go anywhere without his equally ripped commando buddy, Lance. Fortunately, Lance is right there, and off the two go, with Bill telling his girl to keep the coffee warm for when he returns.
What follows is a nonstop bullet barrage as Bill and Lance charge into the jungle, mowing down anything and anyone in their way. All goes well until they meet a giant Kaiju, making Bill reconsider whether he’ll ever get to enjoy that next pot of coffee.
“What follows is a nonstop bullet barrage as Bill and Lance charge into the jungle, mowing down anything and anyone in their way.”
Contra is pure low-budget video tape fun. As pure, unadulterated killing machines, Bill and Lance are played perfectly by Brendan White and Justin Stewart. It’s all about the guns with unlimited bullets, grenades, and a steady stream of evil henchmen to murder. While it’s not shot with an 8-bit processor, the VHS effects are over-the-top. The ending is totally rad and unexpected.
Filmmaker Bradford Jackson takes the elements of the game fans love and fills in the gap with story. Everyone who adapts any beloved IP must do this.
Contra is the kind of audacious, no-holds-barred action/comedy that throws caution (and social niceties) to the wind and goes for it. Every joke lands with reckless, glorious abandon. If you’re longing for the days when comedies actually had a bite, Contra is the film to rally behind—just don’t expect to leave unscathed.
"…Every joke lands with reckless, glorious abandon."
