Finally, a film that incorporates every political assassination conspiracy in one tight-knit story. That film is Jeffrey Tipton’s Lone Gunman.
Blair Roberts (Bobby Britton) is an off-grid ex-Marine sniper whose only connection to living is his daughter Emily (Sophie Jordan Collins), who is about to graduate from high school. His ex-wife, Carol (Dagmar Adamec), left him long ago for Skip (Chris Rubalcaba), who hates him as much as Carol does. Before graduation, the town is hosting a high-profile football game where “America Only” Senate candidate Brock Wrangler (Jeff Rogers) is scheduled to attend.
In “preparation” for Wrangler’s appearance, two deep-state operatives, Marty (Riley Kershaw) and Ari (Tomas Johansson), blackmail Blair with planted child pornography on his laptop. His mission is to assassinate Wrangler. If he does, he will be rewarded handsomely. Otherwise, the evidence goes to the FBI.
At the rally, Blair can’t pull the trigger and flees his perch. His handlers panic and send Ari to take over. Ari fires, wounding Wrangler, before security kills Ari. Wrangler survives and becomes a political martyr overnight. Meanwhile, Blair is now a fugitive with a $100,000 FBI bounty on his head, and he just blew any chance of being in Emily’s life, let alone living as a free man.
“Two deep-state operatives…blackmail Blair with planted child pornography on his laptop.”
As a film, Lone Gunman suffers mainly because it’s a micro-budget DIY thriller, and it shows. Sound is inconsistent. Editing is choppy as hell, and the acting is…well, if I asked my best friends to make a movie with me. Yes. This movie would have looked and sounded better if someone had thrown a few grand Tipton’s way.
On the other hand, some ingenious choices helped elevate it above the bottom of the barrel. Throughout the “conspiracy” segments, the screen would have a colored overlay, with everything in blue or another color. At first, it’s confusing, but then you realize it is a cheap way to add visual drama while making the scene feel less cheap. I also liked Tipton’s little additions, like the news coverage of the football game and the B-roll shot at the actual event.
What I really like about Lone Gunman is how it plays out all these conspiracy theories. It walks us through the Kennedy assassination all the way up to Charlie Kirk. These lone gunmen were never alone, but were propped up by the deep state, the Illuminati, or Israel. Promises are made, promises are broken, and sometimes conscience plays a part, too. The dialogue doesn’t hold back either. Everyone wholeheartedly believes in whoever or whatever is controlling the political landscape and acts accordingly. It’s crazy and nuts…as it should be.
Jeffrey Tipton’s Lone Gunman is a scrappy DIY thriller that never lets its micro-budget get in the way of swinging big on every assassination conspiracy theory known to man. Its commitment makes Lone Gunman worth the watch for anyone who likes their politics crazy and unfiltered.
For screening information, visit the Lone Gunman official website.
"…propped up by the deep state, the Illuminati, or Israel."
