SXSW 2017 Review: 68 KILL

By Jan Hamiton

This film is a blood soaked thriller with a lot of comic moments.  Cast against type, Chip (Mathew Gray Gubler, the young egg-head doctor on TV’s Criminal Minds) is a slightly naïve young man who empties septic tanks during the day, and tries to keep up with his super-hot girlfriend Liza (Annalynne McCord) at night.  He cares that she still has to “service” a sugar daddy, but since that man pays the rent, Chip can’t say too much.  He seems to let others make his decisions for him, so he puts up little resistance when she decides they will rob that man, though he knows it’s wrong.  What Chip thinks will be “only” a robbery quickly escalates into murder and kidnapping.  At this point he wonders if he really knows his girlfriend, since it all comes very easily to her.  He is repelled, but doesn’t back out until Liza says they will deliver the kidnapped victim to her mad scientist vivisectionist brother.  A drug fueled Goth cult, car theft, and true love all await our dim hero.

The Bottom Line: This is a fun midnighter for those who like blood, torture, and some laughs, I recommend it.

Director:  Trent Haaga

Executive Producer:  Inderpal Singh, Stephanie Trepanier

Producer:  Travis Stevens, Bob Portal, David Lawson

Screenwriter: Trent Haaga, based on the novel by Bryan Smith

Cinematographer: Needham Smith III

Editor: Brody Gusar

Sound Designer: Matthew Olivo

Music: Frank Ilfman, James Griffith

Principal Cast: Matthew Gray Gubler, Annalynne McCord,

Alisha Boe, Sheila Vand, Sam Eidson, Lucy Faust, Eric Podner,

Peter James, Hallie Grace Bradley, James Moses Black

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