‘Joe Crist’ (2024)

A mix of genres ‘Joe Crist’ presents a blend of western, comedy and even the supernatural in a piece set in the American West. Following Joe (Dallas Valdez), a bounty hunter, the film chronicles the man’s feats as he mows his way through a sea of bandits in an effort to clean up the Old West.

A force to be reckoned with, Joe wades through a seemingly endless stream of outlaws, collecting their wares as he sees fit, to improve on his own attire. Finally making his way back to a sleepy middle-of-nowhere town, Joe reconnects with his old friend Dell (Curt Lambert). The two share drinks and reconnect as Maggie (Carrie Keagan) catches Joe’s eye.

Soon, the famed gunslinger is approached by a desperate mother looking for her lost daughter. Joe and Dell investigate and reach the hotel room the daughter had been staying in. Ambushed and gunned down, Joe miraculously awakens after 6 weeks in a coma. Noticing odd abilities and changes within himself, Joe exhibits extraordinary healing capabilities paired with a nondescript ability of foresight and premonition.

Rustling the feathers of the head honcho bad guy Anton Weaver (John Marrs), Joe attempts to carry on and rid the town of criminals and bandits. Heading to church for counsel, even though Joe has little faith, he takes on the responsibility apparently bestowed upon him, - to carrry out justice in the form of holy retribution.

Shifting between stern and over-the-top, the tone of the film veers wildly. At times almost indecipherable, it is hard to discern the intention Mark Allen Michaels as the director has for the movie. Landing a handful of jokes very successfully, the film is at times reminiscent in tone to ‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974). Had ‘Joe Crist’ tied itself to a purely satirical dark comedy, the project may have delivered on a more profound tone when it touches on more serious topics, such as religion and crime.

Spending most of the runtime emphasizing the righteous and unwavering nature Joe possesses, the film fails to develop any of its cast of characters. For the most part, Valdez is the same Joe at the beginning of the film as he is at the end. Presented as a courageous and honorable ranger, Joe suffers little in terms of long term loss and retains his just ways.

Joe’s evolution fails to elevate him beyond what the man already was, besides being gifted magical, and potentially holy, abilities to allegedly enact the vengeance of god, his path remains unchanged as his untarnished reputation and virtuous tendencies persist. The surrounding cast of characters suffer the same fate as they largely exhibit single note personalities and a very surface level identity. Joe’s best friend Dell is and remains a wise-cracking support act for the main character and Maggie stays as the cool and calm barmaid, ready to lend a helping hand.

Without an exorbitant amount of hilarity to keep the vehicle moving, ‘Joe Crist’ lacks a developed enough and continuous sense of humor to qualify it as a satire or parody of sorts. Struggling to poke enough fun at any of the subject matter that it covers, ‘Joe Crist’ is an odd and quirky western that has the potential to laugh at significant topics, but never really amounts to much in terms of taking them down. Quirky and bizarre, the film has its moments but ultimately does not rise to the occasion and leaves one a bit confused and deflated if nothing else.

Score: 2/4