Pistol Whipped, also known as Pistola Látigo: Una Saga de Explotación y Venganza is a 2010 action-exploitation comedy film written and directed by Greg Garcia, produced by Francesco de Liveri and starring James Garofino, Arthur Wallis, Kristina Chiuku, Andrew Angrovic, Michael Lavetine, Andrejos Bajidjia, Sophia Cartia, Danny Dieuwickz, and Carlos Martilios. It is based off of a short film directed by Greg Garcia, entitled Pistol, which starred only Garofino of the film's cast in the same role. The film is a homage to exploitation and mafia films, with themes of both present in the movie. The film also features excessive violence and coarse language, and runs for approximately three hours, divided into three parts. Director Greg Garcia describes it as a "gore-opera without the singing and with more violence".
The film follows Rodrigo "Pistol" Muertios (James Garofino) in his journey of revenge and redemption against a former employee who betrayed him, Ronny Revincino (Arthur Wallis); who shot him in the head and left him in a decade long coma. When he awakens Rodrigo embarks on a violent and deadly path of revenge and violence. The film was released on the 18th of December 2010, and met with largely positive reviews. Critics praised the film for its originality and irreverent and sporadic humour, with one critic saying of the film: "Pistol Whipped is a wild ride that fuses mafia movies with exploitation and excessive violence for one exciting and bizarre story". Director Greg Garcia has confirmed that a second part will be filmed and released in the coming months, most likely in 2012. James Garofino, Kristina Chiuku and Andrejios Bajidjia have confirmed that they have all signed on for a second film.
Cast[]
- James Garofino as Rodrigo "Pistol" Muertios: A former mobster who is betrayed by his boss Ronny Revincino and later seeks revenge.
- Arthur Wallis as Ronny Revincino: The don of the Revincino crime family and a powerful El Pecado mobster. He betrays Rodrigo for unknown reasons.
- Carlos Martilios as Doctor Arturos Lemincia: A surgeon who works for the Liberación del Pueblo.
- Andrejo Bajidjia as Carlos Chincolados: The leader of the Liberación del Pueblo, who hires and mentors Rodrigo.
- Michael Lavetine as Jackie Carlone: Carlos' right-hand man and Liberación del Pueblo member.
- Kristina Chiuku as Kitty Dagger: The katana-wielding former employee and current owner of the Sex Kitten Castle of Love, a brothel, as well as an ally to the Liberación del Pueblo.
- Sophia Cartia as Cassandra Eli: An assassin/air hostess hired by Revincino to kill Rodrigo.
- Andrew Angrovic as "Krazy" Kenny Kravotich: Revincino's half-insane right-hand man and former associate of Rodrigo.
- Danny Dieuwicz as Buck Chidos: An insane ex-convict with a tendency for masochism and using strange objects like blow up bats, sex toys and bubble guns.
- Robert Carson, Jeff Newston, Billy Andre, and Gary Livenstein as the Diabolos: Revincino's elite assassin group that protect him and his interests.
Plot[]
Act One[]
The film follows Rodrigo "Pistol" Muertios (James Garofino), a Cuban-Italian ex-mobster who is betrayed by his employer Ronny Revincino (Arthur Wallis), the don of the Revincino mob family. He is shot fatally in the skull by Revincino after aiding him in the destruction of the other major gang the Sur del Ejército, in the fictional city of El Pecado, California. Left for dead, Rodrigo is rescued by ex-convict and renegade surgeon Doctor Arturos Lemincia (Carlos Martilios) and remains in a coma for ten years, all the time being watched over by Lemincia and his assosciates; who fighting to stop Revincino's domination of El Pecado. When Rodigro awakes he finds that the world has changed, El Pecado is almost entirely controlled by Revincino and his gang. Doctor Lemincia and his allies, the Liberación del Pueblo. After recovering from his coma Rodrigo meets with the Liberación del Pueblo's leader and former employee of Revincino also, Carlos Chincolados (Andrejos Bajidjia) who offers Rodrigo $1,000,0000 in pay and retribution if he proves he is an ally against Revincino. Rodrigo agrees and befriends Carlos' right-hand man Jackie Carlone (Michael Lavetine) as they begin to carry out missions against Revincino. In one mission to destroy a major drug supplier of Revincino's, Jackie is shot fatally in the heart by Revincino's head henchman "Krazy" Kenny Kravotich, an old acquaintance of Rodrigo's. Rodrigo flees, but vows to avenge Jackie and kill Kenny. He returns to Carlos in failure, but the mobster is not displeased and continues to mentor Rodrigo until he is ready to confront Kenny, and Revincino's.
Act Two[]
Carlos assigns Rodrigo with a new task, to retrieve a prized object from the Sex Kitten Castle of Love, a local brothel run by Kitty Dagger (Kristina Chiuku), a katana wielding former prostitute turned brothel manager. When Rodrigo enters the brothel he encounters Buck Chidos, Revincino's mentally insane henchman that has a tendency for masochism and wields an array of novelty weapons including plastic bats, bubble guns and sex toys in which he uses to torture victims. Kitty distracts Buck by giving him a lap dance while Rodrigo finds the Object that Carlos sent him to get; which turns out to be a gold coin much to Rodrigo's confusion. When Buck sees Rodrigo leaving the back room he pushes Kitty off of him and pulls out a real weapon, a gun, and begins to fire at him. Kitty grabs his crotch, which distracts him, before she injures him with her katana. Rodrigo flees in the chaos as more of Revincino's men descend upon the brothel. He returns to Carlos and delivers the coin, which Carlos gives back to him, telling him that the coin was useless, that it was really a test to see of Rodrigo was ready to kill Kenny. He sends Rodrigo to an abandoned factory where Revincino produces cocaine and other drugs. While he besieges the factory, a wounded Buck returns to the Castle of Love and takes Kitty hostage, torturing her with his bizarre toys in revenge for the wound she gave him. Rodrigo breaks into Kenny's base and shoots him in the leg so he can't escape, then questions him about what happened to his family. When Kenny tells him his parents where killed by Revincino's men shortly after he entered the coma, he shoots Kenny's brains out and leaves the factory, burning it down. Meanwhile Buck continues to torture Kitty and cuts of her finger, questioning her about Rodrigo and the Liberación del Pueblo. She gets her chance to escape when police converge on the brothel, and she breaks Buck's nose before injuring his hand in a fan. She runs, but he pursues, firing at her. When she retrieves her katana, she ambushes Buck and decapitates him, as her Sisters of Slut protect the brothel from the police, doing battle with them. As Rodrigo is returning to the Liberación del Pueblo's hideout he is targeted by Revincino's men, who drive by and shoot him, leaving him a bloodied heap on the road. He wakes up in the hideout, with Doctor Lemincia tending to his wounds.
The next day Revincino learns of Kenny's death and the destruction of his drug factory, and enlists the help of infamous assassin/air hostess Cassandra Eli (Sophia Cartia) to kill Rodrigo and any other members of the Liberación del Pueblo she can find. Cassandra targets Rodrigo as he visits a restaurant with Lemincia, and in the resulting battle she fatally shoots Lemincia and Rodrigo flees. He returns to the Liberación del Pueblo and searches for information on Cassandra so he can kill her, and leaves the Liberación del Pueblo to find her. He encounters her in a ruined public garden outside of the city, where she was waiting for him. Before Rodrigo can get out his gun Cassandra shoots him in the knee, and he plays dead to lure her over. When she comes to investigate he pistol-whips her with his gun, then shoots her in the neck. Cassandra falls back, bleeding heavily and scrambling for her gun. Rodrigo staggers to his feet and stands on her foot, aiming his gun on her. She pleads for mercy, before he shoots her in the back of the head and leaves.
Act Three[]
After his assassin fails to kill Rodrigo, Revincino orders his men to kidnap Kitty and bring her to his base so as to lure Rodrigo and the other Liberación del Pueblo members. He succeeds in his goal, and tries to seduce Kitty when she is in his custody, but she breaks his nose in his advances. He punches her and orders her to be locked up, before his men begin a city wide chaos plan that will distract the police so that he can successfully kill Rodrigo. Rodrigo learns of Kitty's kidnapping and goes to Revincino's mansion, where he kills his guards and breaks into the house, armed with an array of weapons and Kitty's katana. When he enters the lounge room he is confronted by Revincino's prized assassin group, the Diabolos, and he does battle with them. He uses the katana to dismember and disarm them, before he opens fire with an AK-47 and kills the Diabolos. He quickly leaves the scene and finds Revincino, in the midst of torturing Kitty with a shaving knife. He sneaks up on Revincino and shoots him in the leg, before he is captured by his bodyguards. When he comes to, Revincino has both him and Kitty tied up on a wall, with a large buzz saw at the end. He tells Rodrigo that he should have died ten years ago, and then activates the saw. As Revincino leaves Rodrigo unleashes a knife concealed on his shoe and stabs him in the neck, presumably killing him. As Revincino's bodyguards are about to kill them both the room is besieged by Liberación del Pueblo members, including Carlos, who kill the guards and free Rodrigo and Kitty. Carlos congratulates Rodrgio on his mission and gives him the money, before he shoots him in the head.....
The promotional poster for Pistol Whipped
Sequel[]
Director Greg Garcia has confirmed that the story will be resolved and/or extended in a second film, aptly titled Pistol Whipped Part II, or Parte Pistola Látigo Dos: El Festival de Sangre Continúa. He has confirmed that filming will begin in March 2011, and several cast members have confirmed their return. Tim Ashley is rumoured to appear in the second film. Danny Dieuwicz, who played Buck, has recently stated he will be returning for a second film as Buck's twin brother Charles Chip Chidos aka CC, a redneck machine gun-totting character. Greg Garcia has confirmed he will begin shooting after his second film, Brad the Impaler is released in February.