Written and directed by Ted Hayden, co-written by Theo Olesen, wannabe filmmakers Luke and Hunter will do anything to finish their dream project – including fighting off the hitmen sent by the shady ‘executive producer’ bankrolling them. Starring: Brandon H. Lee, Hector Melgoza, Scott Sheldon, Merlin Ripley, Sean Rhee, Steven Ebora, Elan Simon and Ashley Kim.
Violet Vendetta immediately hits you with the energy of Quentin Tarantino meets Kevin Smith, modern western mixed with old-school indie comedy-action. It kicks things off on a really strong note to let viewers know that they’re in for a fun, messy adventure. Ted Hayden builds a big, lively energy right from that start which is also nicely consistent throughout the film. There’s a great deal of personality injected into the atmosphere which is charming and has an infectious enthusiasm.
Hayden and Theo Olesen do a brilliant job of capturing that indie film spirit with Luke (Brandon H. Lee) and Hunter (Hector Melgoza), their intense dedication and the overwhelming belief in their project. That’s really the foundation of the story, their slight naivety mixed with lack of funds and commitment to seeing this film through opens them up to all sorts of mishaps. There’s something nostalgic about it, particularly because it feels like Hayden taps into the essence of Asian action cinema from the 1980s and 1990s. The way that they didn’t take themselves too seriously and could throw in fight choreography along with some laughs, and that’s what you get from Violet Vendetta.
The stunt work is well done, especially as it knows when to look good and when to look awful, to fit the different scenes. That mix of action and comedy is reminiscent of a lot of different pieces of cinema but ones that come to mind quite quickly are Polite Society, One Cut of the Dead or Stealing Pulp Fiction. You could even throw Everything Everywhere All at Once into the mix if you’re looking at the hero’s choice of weapon. Getting that balance right between calamity, comedy, chaos and action is a huge part of Violet Vendetta’s charm because it feels exaggerated but convincing. Hayden and Olesen did well to know how to make it just the right amount of ridiculous, which definitely deserves plenty of credit.
The filmmakers also made fantastic location choices that really have a lot to offer. Those choices allow Hayden, and cinematographer Radoslav Moska, to keep things aesthetically within the everyday but add a bigger energy and give the threat and chase some weight, so they don’t become silly. All of that is then well supported by some great editing work from Hayden alongside Ian Arthur and Jordan Satmary. It helps to build an excellent pacing, lean into that energy and really hit the comedic timing. Not to mention choosing to have their bad guys drive a Cybertruck was a nice touch.
On top of which you have what is really the heart of Violet Vendetta, the performances from Brandon H. Lee and Hector Melgoza. You can wholeheartedly feel how much fun Lee and Melgoza had making this film, they’re a brilliant duo. The personas that they both bring are created with sheer entertainment in mind, it’s another element that really helps to solidify that balance of building a captivating story but also not taking itself too seriously. That ability to have fun with it is strongly rooted in their performances. They also tick some classic boxes with their characters’ personalities, Lee’s Luke gives us the more practical, logical and reliable, while Melgoza’s Hunter is the passion first, consequences later, all in kind of guy. It’s a very yin and yang combination of friends which is satisfying to watch.
Violet Vendetta is nostalgic, fun and a good time. It feels like Ted Hayden built a foundation for the film on a love of indie and arthouse cinema. Bringing a modern touch to the beloved style of entertainment from action flicks of the 1980s and 1990s. It’s got a great sense of humour, some solid action and Brandon H. Lee and Hector Melgoza are a hugely enjoyable duo to watch. The end credits sequence feels like the door was left open for Luke and Hunter to return and hopefully they do because they undeniably have plenty of potential to stir up some more trouble.
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