'Dead Souls' (2025)

A loose adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's novel of the same name, writer and director Alex Cox, who also stars in the feature, reimagines the classic piece of Russian literature through the spaghetti Western lens set in the late 19^th century. Following the bowler-and-suit-wearing Mr. Strindler (Cox) as he approaches a dusty Arizona town, the mysterious man immediately makes an impression on the handful of inhabitants in the quiet desert outpost.

Finding his bearings and asking to speak with the big hitters in town, the locals take notice as he spends generously and makes odd inquiries about the deceased Mexican people in and around the town. Quietly approaching the unsuspecting denizens of the dusty two-horse town, Strindler wanders magnificent vistas, with filming taking advantage of the natural beauty of Almería, Spain and Arizona. Lending itself beautifully to the story, the landscapes add depth and scope to the tale, opening on a hefty promise that the story will develop into something grand, or at least make one wonder and consider the insignificance of the people trying to cope out in the boonies.

What follows immediately after however is a stark reminder that Cox has made this project happen via Kickstarter, restrained by a tight budget, making the interior scenes in particular feel more like a stage production, with stripped-back set design and simple costume work.

Microbudget aside, Cox leads the story as the stranger approaching the town. Noted by all who encounter him as an enigma, Strindler plays poker with the town mayor Avery Senator (Eric Schumacher) and the largest local businessmen in town, mine owner Mr. Oso (Ted Falagan) and rancher Mr. Chandler (Geoff Marslett). Entering the game with seemingly the sole purpose of losing, Strindler later makes his way through the townspeople who had worked with Mexicans, asking for a list of the names and dates of birth for those who had died.

Initially wrapped in intrigue, Cox's Strindler evokes a dark secrecy about himself, making one lean towards supernatural considerations, as the man collects the names of the dead. Working his charm on the various townsfolk, Strindler encounters a slew of weirdos, criminals and religious devotees, each more peculiar than the last. A little one-dimensional however, the townsfolk amount to little more than caricatures at times, again undercutting the impact of the story.

With varying degrees of pushback but ultimately always able to secure a deal for the list of names he wants to buy, Cox creates a slightly jovial tone for the satirical take on capitalism he so desperately wants to poke fun at.

With a little comedic lilt after every handshake, the atmosphere sways slightly between humorous and dramatic, ultimately delivering an overall timid and weightless story as some of the comedy falls flat and the drama is thwarted by substandard acting.

Disregarding the sordid history Cox has with filmmaking, bursting onto the scene with successes such as 'Repo Man' (1984) and 'Sid & Nancy' (1986), followed by a slew of lesser instalments in his library, 'Dead Souls' shows us Cox had a vision for this project.

Adapting a classic novel, but very much through his own lens, Cox’s interpretation can be praised for the ambition and ingenuity that has been devoted to the project. Overly drawn-out and underacted scenes, combined with obvious and heavy-handed political messaging, remove any sense of subtlety, making the overall product less enjoyable as it evokes a sermonic tone, preaching about the all-consuming dangers of capitalism.

Odd and unique, like Strindler himself, 'Dead Souls' tells an interesting story that is undercut by its budget and disappointing culmination. Constantly making one imagine what the story might have been had it been produced on a decent budget, the film suffers too many drawbacks to become a sleeper cult sensation.

Score: 2/4