SNAG
(director/writer: Ben Milliken; screenwriter: Brent Tarnol; cinematographer: Christopher Hamilton; editor: Mark Manos; music: Cailo Velez; cast: Ben Milliken (Snag), Sofia Castro (Valentina), Jaime Camil (Marco),David Zeyas (Ramon), Jonny Beauchamp (Javi), Michelle Ortiz (Jackie), Louis De La Costa (Tito), Jeanette Aquilar Harris (Juanita), C. J. Perry Barnyashev (The Reaper), Ana Ortiz (Victoria); Runtime: 87; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Ben Milliken/Lamar Billups/Doug Metzger; Paramount; 2023)
“It features a lot of Latino actors with the white guy protagonist, and a lot of running gags that don’t work.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
UK-born filmmaker and actor Ben Milliken (“Lake Alice”), a former boxer with prior bit parts in Australian and American films. Ben stars in, directs and co-writes with Brent Tarnol this pumped-up thriller that’s set in the Australian outback. It features a lot of Latino actors with the white guy protagonist, and a lot of running gags that don’t work.
Our man Snag (Ben Milliken) is a bar bouncer, drug smuggler, and enforcer for a lady Mexican mob boss named Victoria (Ana Ortiz). He’s most perturbed that the Mexicans in the gang refer to him as that gringo, even though he’s not American. Snag’s determined to reunite with the love of his life, Valentina Sofia Castro), Victoria’s daughter, whom he thought was dead but learns from gang member Marco (Jaime Camil) she is alive and held captive by the cartel. Ben now needs some reliable allies as he attempts to rescue her from the ruthless gang.
We learn little about the dude, except he’s a lone wolf who might be a drug mule and can’t seem to be killed. He might also be a blank, but has a charm that’s enough to get some of the more forgiving viewers through this pointless and mostly unfunny indie dud.
REVIEWED ON 5/14/2023 GRADE: C