You may not immediately know the name Robert LaSardo, but you know Robert LaSardo. (Though if you’re a regular reader, odds are you’re very familiar with the man and his work.) He’s the guy you call when your movie needs a heavily tattooed, badass-looking motherfucker. In his 170-plus credits, with more than 50(!) on the way according to IMDb, he’s played vampires, gangsters, and heavies of all stripes. In addition to being an Adler Studio-trained actor, he’s also a veteran. So it only makes sense his first outing as a director, American Trash, focuses on a former soldier struggling with PTSD as a result of his experiences.
There’s a lot going on in Section 8, a lot. Director Christen Sesma (Paydirt) and writer Chad Law (Daylight’s End, Close Range) and Josh Ridgway (Howlers) crafts a hodgepodge of DTV staple plotlines, splicing together revenge drama, sprawling conspiracy thriller, tactical action, and more genre fundamentals. To be honest, there’s probably not a ton of appeal beyond extant fans of this type of film, but for those of us already on the hook, this shit is like supercharged catnip. It's chaotic and herky-jerky at times, but delivers balls-out fistfights and shootouts, and takes enough wild swings that it’s ultimately pretty damn fun.
