Review: FP2: BEATS OF RAGE (2018) – BAFF 2018
Welcome to the future where matters are decided not in Thunderdome but in Beat Beat Revelation. In matches known as, you guessed it, BeatOffs. This is the world of The FP, Frazier Park. Created by Jason Trost (HOW TO SAVE US) for his film THE FP in 2011. It was a bizarre mix of MAD MAX, and BREAKIN 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO. FP2: BEATS OF RAGE sees him revisiting that world in a wonderfully bizarre sequel.
Since saving the world in the first film, JTRO, (Trost, who also wrote and directed) has become a drunken hermit. But when The FP’s supply of Booze is threatened and he’s promised an endless supply eternally if he can defeat the villainous AK-47(Mike O’Gorman). But he’s been away a long time, and his skills have eroded. Can he avoid The Rage and re-ninj or will he suffer a 187? Because “Two ninjas roll in. One ninja rolls out.”
Trying to explain the world of this film would be pointless. It’s an eclectic, almost random at times, mix of post-apocalyptic cliches and 80’s urban street culture that has to be seen to be believed. And in the case of Aussie competitor Chai-T (Tallay Wickham) it’s mixed with enough Down-Underisms to be almost incomprehensible at times.
KCDC (Art Hsu CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE) and BLT (Nick Principe, XENOPHOBIA, AMERICAN MUSCLE) return from the original film. Even BTRO (Brandon Barrera DEEP DARK CANYON) shows up in some dream scenes. That noted it helps if you’ve seen the original, but you can enjoy FP2: BEATS OF RAGE just fine as a stand-alone film. A lot of credit for that goes to the new villain AK-47. With his MORTAL KOMBAT inspired outfit and habit of stealing the souls of those he defeats he serves as a worthy foe for JTRO.
FP2: BEATS OF RAGE is on the festival circuit. It will play Atlanta’s Buried Alive Film Festival on November 16th at 8PM. If it comes your way, see it.