Bad Ass

Plot synopsis:
--written by KrystelClaireThe film starts with photos and shorts of the Latin quarters. There are buses, plenty of grafitti, highways in the middle of the city of LA. Some of the shots have been taken from YouView, which works, obviously, the same as YouTube.Frank Vega (Shalim Ortiz) is travelling by bus, and two punks get in. He starts remembering his teenage years, saying that they were the simplest and the happiest. He was the son of some small local farmers, and had a beautiful girlfriend called Lindsay (Jillian Murray). He has to do something with his life, so he decides to join the Army, and ends up being tortured and wounded in Viet Nam. When he returns to the USA, he has to follow rehabilitation, and then he tries to come back to his life.However, when he visits adult Lindsay (Donzaleigh Abernathy), she is already married with two children. He tries to join the police forces, but his wonds cause him to be rejected. He can't find a decent job, as all the possible employees want university degrees and experience. Finally, he starts selling hot dogs in a street post. And 40 years have gone by, and Frank (Danny Trejo)'s life has slipped through his fingers.He repents about his life. When two punks enter the bus, they bother a passenger. Frank tells them to stop, so he becomes the object of their wrath, but he defends himself and ends up beating them to a pulp. Some other passengers record this with their mobile phones, and they upload it onto YouView with the title Bad Ass. Frank becomes an instant celebrity, and he and Mrs Vega (Tonita Castro) are interviewed at the morning programme LA Mornings by a journalist (Sam Rubin). Now, his community and the police respect him. Officer Marlak (Patrick Fabian) even takes with them on patrol.Three months later, Frank's mother dies. Father Miller (Richard Riehle) gives out a deep and nice speech, but Frank is sad anyway. He takes all the cutlery to their local church, as stated in her will. The rest will be for him.On TV, Mayor Williams (Ron Perlman) wants to improve the safety of the Latin quarters.He is about to move in with his best friend in Mrs Vega's home. During the moving, they stop to drink Mrs Vega's drinks and they reminiscence about the old times in Nam, how Klondike Washington (Harrison Page) saved Frank's life, and they talk about the best day of their lives, which is yet to come. Klondike also gives Frank a pen drive, saying that it's important for Frank to keep it in Mrs Vega's old safe. Klondike mentions a plan to become rich.Klodike goes out to buy more liquor, and two punks threaten him. They are looking for something, which he says he doesn't have. It looks as though Klodike has won the fight. However, the guy called Sebastian (Craig Johnson) shoots Klodike and kills him. He and the other (Dorian Kingi) run away.Frank beats the crap of three punks at a liquor shop, so that the clerk (Ezra Buzzington) gives him the things he didn't have money to pay.A neighbour lady called Amber Lamps (Joyful Drake) offers him some consolation, stating that it's impossible to live on the neighbourhood anymore.Frank decides not to go out with his cop friend, and thinks that Detective Shah (Frank Maharajh) is not doing anything to investigate Klondike's death because he was black. He watches TV, and a news anchour (Christine Clayburg) says that 20 detectives were implied in the investigation of a person's runover. Frank feels frustrated when he sees some detectives playing games instead of working, so he decides to take things in his own hands. In fact, he goes to the place of the fight and finds one strange cartridge and a necklace with a photograph inside. He has a conversation with a boy but his father (Chris Spencer) tells the boy not to talk with unknown people and neighbours.It is a hunter weapon, a Baretta, something designed for the government and its army. The gun shop says that the girl in the photo looks like a girl who usually attends his church. He visits that lady, who is fed-up with the man who supposedly lost her necklace at Frank's, called Terrance (Erik Betts). She tells him that he's been away for a week, probably playing ball with his friends. At 22nd Street park, Terrance's friends (Joe Holiday, Buddy Sosthand & Mark Rhino Smith) are beaten until they tell Frank to look for Renaldo (Andy Davoli).He visits Renaldo's apartment, and a man dressed as a Catholic priest (Jack Freshkin) thinks that he was going to rob them, so he attacks them.Williams talks to Panther (Charles S. Dutton), the former's contact on the streets. Williams is facing re-ellection in 90 days, and it all depends in finding that pen-drive. Williams is afraid of Frank. Panther says that the streets are his, and that he'll take care of Bad Ass, because his brothers dealth with Klonkike in the wrong way.Frank helps an elderly lady (Norma Michaels) with her bags, and somebody shoots him. Frank still talks to Martin (John Duffy) the cutely savvy son of his neigbhbour, who has put violent Terrance out after he has hit her.Frank questions about Renaldo in a bar, starting a bar prawl, who he wins. The bartender (Tommy Rosales) tells him that Renaldo is upstairs. A pimp tells that Renaldo is with Tatiana (Winter Ave Zoli). At Mrs Vega's, a thug asks Frank about a pen drive. Frank tells Martin to use it, and that's how they see all the plans for the regentrification of the whole neighbourhood.Frank goes to Tatiana's massage parlour. Tatiana is a blonde masseuse who says she has split up with Reanldo and leaves Frank.Looking for Renaldo, a Bad-Ass fan (Esteban Cueto) neighbour tells him to burglar it in; in fact, he tells him that Tatiana always leaves her back door open. Tatiana and Renaldo are at it. Frank takes Renaldo's hand through the rabbish disposal system, and cuts several fingers. He says that Sebastian killed Klondike, and that Buster was the one who called the shots. On leaving, all the kitchen stained with blood, Frank says that Renaldo's wife sends a message: "Fuck You".Frank defends Martin's mother from Martin Sr., who's hitting her. Frank gets all cute to have dinner with her at her garden, which reminds Frank of his own mother.Frank gives to his friend Officer Malark the pen - just in case something bad happens to him. Frank goes to confess, because he's looking for revenge.Frank goes to Panther's garage directly. Two thugs are there, but Panther decides to face him directly, but not on his own. Panther tortures Frank with electricity, the same kind of torture that he had to face in Nam. Panther finds a photograph of Amber at Frank's wallet, so he threatens him with him going to attack her. As soon as Panther leaves, Frank releases himself with a lighter - in a cheese moment, in my opinion - and then there's this huge fight. Fire is everywhere, and then everything blows up.Panther runs away and takes a bus from a driver (Robert Sean Burke). When Frank tells a bus driver (Craig Moss) that he needs to steal his bus, the driver happens to be a fan of Frank's, so he will let him take his bus happily. Frank runs after the bus,creating havoc and chaos on their way, until Frank bumps onto a building. Panther decides to meet Frank face to face at the LA Market premises. On the last second, Frank swerves, but Panther's bus is crashed by an incoming train.Of course, this doesn't stop either of them. They both reach Amber's at the same time, and they fist-fight. Panther wonders how Frank Vega was able to find such a sexy lady. Amber takes Frank's side, obviously, but is Frank Vega who gives Panther the final punches. Frank says that he never had a woman rescuing him. She is worried because Frank's got a black eye and is bleeding. She takes Frank inside to take care of him, while Panther is left on his own, thrown to the soil, with a bleeding face, in the outside garden yard.A journalist says that the audience may remember Frank Vega "Bad Ass", but that he uncovered a major political corruption case, which meant that the mayor's office was linked to a terrorizing streetgang. The mayor is seen alleging that he's being attacked by special terrorist groups which are trying to destroy his political and economic agenda for the city.Frank is named an honorary police officer, and Malark gives him his badge. Frank goes speechless.Amber and her son dine together with Frank. Frank says that that was the best day of his life. The son tells him to trim that damn beard.

Tags: revenge, murder, flashback

Review:
A title he wasn't looking for but he was happy to finally be fitting in with society.After his one & only friend was murdered senselessly he became the man the public wanted him to be & started on journey of ass kicking his way to find answers.
So to belittle this fine piece of film is in itself a crime!I couldn't help thinking of Gran Torino & Harry Brown a bit at times due to the fact of all three characters being in a war, all being senior citizens & all they wanted was a little peace & a bit of happiness and they were "called" back into duty for something they truly believed in..
From Robin Hood to Batman to Paul Kersey to Harry Brown, we get satisfaction from their noble efforts.In this one Danny Trejo gets to show some good acting chops as an against type, soft spoken, good hearted Bad Ass. He is quite good here with more range than usual and demonstrates why he has so many devoted fans.
For a movie of this caliber, then "Bad Ass" wasn't actually too bad."Bad Ass" is about Vietnam veteran Frank Vega (played by Danny Trejo) who moves into his mother's house after she passes away.
Frank's friend gets killed, and seeing the police doing nothing about it, Frank decides to take things into his own hands.This movie sort of have elements from "Gran Torino" and also some of the old Charles Bronson movies.
And Danny Trejo proves that, despite up there in years, that he still can perform and do physical movies.The story-wise was sort of funny, sure it was unrealistic, but still it proved to be entertaining enough.
And try not to pay too much attention to the shoddy dialogue, just watch the movie for what it is; an aging Danny Trejo out for revenge."Bad Ass" is a no-brainer type of movie, just put it on, sit down and disconnect your brain.
For a film that was "based off true events" Hollywood couldn't do more to demonize the actual participants."Bad Ass" is based off of an altercation on a bus where Thomas Bruso, a European American, was attacked by an African American.
Done with a brilliant subtle sense of humor.He goes from zero to hero, gets the girl, investigates crime scenes (including cheese chalk out line) and kicks some serious ass, in a way that we all wish we could but is of course impossible.
But then it was like they changed director, everything suddenly gets predictable and boring and you are already seeing the ending in middle way.Well nevertheless the acting is not bad at all (except for some lame parts) and there are some cool fight scenes and some other a bit disordered action shoots.
Maybe the director was going for "a hobo with a shotgun" type film, either way it didn't work.I'm a big fan of Danny and Ron, but after watching this am not so sure.In short a terrible film and embarrassing for the actors..
I just watched Danny Trejo's Bad Ass, which is based on the the Epic Beard Man events.It is a somewhat entertaining film, definitely clichéd and riddled with one liners that are so bad you have to laugh at them, think Batman and Robin with Arnold as Mr. Freeze using his goofy one liners, then take scenarios like a bus running over parking meters and Trejo's Frank Vega saying, "Sorry I don't have any change." I am not trying to say that these eye rolling moments don't make the film hard to watch, in fact given their context they work to an extent.The film is of course based on Thomas Brusco, the senior citizen who beat up a bus patron and became a You Tube sensation about 2 years ago.
They do try to keep the action moving even to the point that they inter-cut footage from the Arnold Schwarzenegger film RED HEAT to help provide the films climax.People will try and compare this film to Machete, and in a way I can see where they might get the inclination to make such a comparison, but believe me they are not int he same class.The primary cast are senior citizens, and if you want to watch a bunch of seniors kicking ass and taking names, this is definitely worth a look.
Our hero goes away to war, Vietnam in this case, and when he comes home his girlfriend have a husband and kids.The rest of the movie revolves around Frank being a bad ass that clobbers most of the undesirable elements that crosses his path.
Of course most of the investigation ends up one way or another in someclobbertime.Not very surprising Frank does indeed find the bad guy at the end and in true American (Hollywood) manner a crocked mayor turn up under one of the rocks that gets overturned.
This is a feel-good movie of what it is to be a man, a character that doesn't have to rely on how he looks but on his personality and how he gets by, such as helping others and being self reliant.
In my opinion it is definitely worth a watch because, despite it's predictability it's a great feel good flick and you get to see Trejo kick a lot of ass.
"You killed my best friend, how do you want to die?" When Vietnam vet Frank Vega (Trejo) returns to the US he has big plans for his life.
The reason for the altered opening is so if anybody said "This film is racist towards black people," the producers could respond "what about when Danny Trejo helped the black guy on the bus." So everyone shut up about the race stuff.Anyways, this is a good movie.
A movie titled "Bad Ass", starring Danny Trejo in the lead role of a movie involving a revenge plot.
So if you expect this movie to feature Danny Trejo as some sort of vigilante, kicking some thugs and street punks' butts, you are wrong!
First off, I have to point out that even though Danny Trejo's character is based on a real person (on the internet known as the Epic Beard Man) most of the movie is entirely made up, so if you're looking for a true story type of movie then look elsewhere.But then again, most movies based on true stories tend to not be all that true once you start reading up on them but anyway, Trejo's background as a Vietnam-vet is accurate, the fight on the bus (ethnicity changes aside) are fairly accurate and the t-shirt "I am a MF" is accurate to what Epic Beard Man wore that day which made him famous.But that's pretty much where it stops, and the fight on the bus is not even the essential part of the movie either it's over with within the first 13 minutes or so, so the rest of the 80 minutes are all made up as a what could be if 'Epic Beard Man' decided to become a full-time vigilante if you will.But the good thing is that it's entertaining, one of Danny Trejos better movies where he's in the lead (which he rarely is, most of his resume consists of smaller roles even the ones he's on the poster of).So yeah if you'd like to see an old guy kicking some butt then this is a perfectly good choice..
Yet older and more "humane" Danny Trejo, and with a beard - not for everyone, remembering him from the movies where his characters were really bad and evil and involved in constant chases and explosions.
So I am a little biased - that said I gave it 7 from 10.Yes scripts like this a common place and often over acted and over done from the moment they start to the moment they stop (looks at a couple of Wrestlers trying to make it in the film business.)The thing that I liked about this film, unlike other films of this nature, you can see a person actually doing this and Mr Trejo performed the role as if he were that person.
Bad Ass. Danny Trejo plays a real life character and while the story happened more or less like what they made a movie of (I don't know and didn't check the story before I watched the movie), you can tell the morality is weighing pretty hard on the story.
It's a nice story nevertheless, but it seems to easy (with the connections and so on), which makes it a bit more predictable than it already is (which sounds impossible come to think of it, but it does).You also have other really good actors in it, that I can only guess came on board, because Danny Trejo did the movie.
In an otherwise nondescript existence post- Vietnam, it made him a star for the day.when his friend ends up being killed, he returns to action in a Death Wish mode looking for the killers.Lots of action in true Trejo form.It just makes me more anxious as I wait for Machete Kills with Sofía Vergara and Lady Gaga..
There are probably a thousand and one films like "Bad Ass." But Danny's the star, and that makes all the difference.
I needed a film to kill some time, what better way to spend it with some action and Danny Trejo :) This film is however more than a action packed one, this is usually not entirely how we see Trejo, in this film he is a big hearted guy, that just want to help the community and do the job that the police can't seem to figure out.The film is good, nothing special, but the story is alright, the acting it above average and we do get to see Trejo kick some but once in a while.
All things considered there were no note worthy comments to make with this film.Danny Trejo has been type cast in many films, Machete very well done, however this film reeks of desperate overtones and has no collective real meaning.With stars like Ron Perlman, Charles S.
One day, he defends an old man on the bus which goes viral and he becomes famous as the Bad Ass. His friend is murdered but the police pays only lip service to the case.
It features a Vietnam veteran as the hero and right away you're reminded of John Eastland played by Robert Ginty in THE EXTERMINATOR and one can't help thinking that the myth of the alienated violent loner Viet vet is mainly down to Hollywood That said if you're getting your information from Hollywood movies then you're a very sad person and it's amazing that some people are under the impression that this is based upon true events .
'BAD ASS': Two Stars (Out of Five)Danny Trejo stars in this B action film that had the potential to be another 'MACHETE' but due to bad directing and a weak script falls far short.
The races were changed for the movie (for unexplained reasons) and Trejo plays a Vietnam vet who beats up two skin heads harassing an elderly black man on a bus.
The movie definitely could have been something really cool but in the hands of these filmmakers turns out kind of pathetic.Trejo stars as Frank Vega, a decorated Vietnam vet who had been forgotten by society until the incident on a bus made him a popular hero (nicknamed 'Bad Ass').
He begins to wage a one man war on the local gang responsible for the death of his friend, who are also working for the town's Mayor (Ron Perlman).The visuals of Trejo beating up criminals in a fanny pack are classic but the movie is so poorly made that it can't even work with it's guaranteed premise.
There's a lot of good ingredients there, like the character Frank Vega is awesome and would do better in another type of movie.
The action scenes were easy to watch and to keep track of, and they were neither long nor confusing.It is Danny Trejo who makes this movie good.
Like Danny Trejo is awesome by default, he could do anything in a movie, and I'd watch it.
I recommend it to people who like action movies, no matter how good or bad they are..
I've always had a soft spot for Danny Trejo because his old age, rugged looks and lack of acting training makes him such an unlikely movie star, but even his performance can't save this project.
First off, the trailers for this film are *extremely* misleading - BadAss is way more serious of a film then you're led to believe; this is not a Tarantino-inspired slaughterfest in the spirit of Hobo With Shotgun or Sucker Punch, and although it revolves on Danny Treyo's "BadAss-ness", there is a lot of content beyond fistfights and generic violence.Danny Treyo(Frank Vega, "Bad Ass")is a ex-Vietnam vet living a quiet and slightly unhappy life in the suburbs; there is an incident of him beating up some skinheads and becoming a YouTube sensation(thereby acquiring the BadAss moniker), but it's a minor plot device and not as central as they make it out to be.
The main song used throughout the movie just repeats "I'm badass." Danny Trejo is a likable guy, but there's no reason he needs to have a love interest.
Sadly, this film should have been a hoax because there is nothing worth watching here.Danny Trejo of Machete fame plays Frank Vega, a senior citizen who becomes known as "Bad Ass" after he beat up two skinheads on a public bus and makes the news and YouTube.
It is nice to see Trejo getting some relatively good guy roles after all the (no pun intended) bad ass roles he played plus the really bad life he turned around.
In this movie it is a good thing he is playing his age because he is starting to move like I do, an older man.
The much more surprising thing is that Craig Moss actually made a film that wasn't complete and utter ass (those unfortunate enough to have seen his two previous films can surely attest to his crimes against celluloid) Danny Trejo is entertaining as EBM in this mexiploitation film, and I enjoyed it for what it was.
To begin with Danny Trejo's character (Frank Vega) is quite clearly heavily influenced by the man in the youtube video known to many as epic beard man when it comes to his appearance.
But his good fortune suddenly turns for the worse when his best friend Klondike is murdered and the police aren't doing anything about it....Take and epic you tube video filmed by people who were against the man in question, and add a little plot,and a bit of Red Heat and you have this.It's a B-movie of the highest order, something that Charles Bronson would have made in the late eighties, so it needs to be seen with a large pinch of salt.It's fun though while it lasts, the one liners come thick and fast, and Trejo as you would expect is very good in the title role and gives a great performance.The rest of the cast are just pure filler and people like Perlman, and Dutton, didn't really have to be in this movie, as they don't really add anything to the proceedings.If you like late eighties action movies, then this is for you....
Sometimes like with some of the old Trauma films a movie can be so bad that it is actually good.
I am not saying that Danny Trejo is going to be getting an Oscar any time soon but I have seen him at least seem like he can act in other movies.
hands down the most laughable moments of the movie though are the scenes with Shalim Ortiz as the young Frank (That's right, he is supposed to be a young Danny Trejo).
The movie consists of the same confrontation scenes repeated over and over...plus Danny getting on the bus and off the bus.Not a good film..
I came into it expecting a "bad ass" vigilante film starring Danny Trejo and costarring Ron Perlman and other talented actors.
Bad Ass reminded me a lot of one of those 70s era Blaxplotation films like Coffy where the good guy (or girl) is out to right a wrong because the police seem unable or unwilling to help.
Frank Vega (Danny Trejo) is a Vietnam vet getting by 40 years later selling hotdogs from a cart.
If anyone could play the image of a Bad Ass it is Danny Trejo but some of the scenes were somewhat over the top with him still being able to keep going after taking a deep slash to the thigh and rolling over in a bus.
The concept, Danny Trejo, the ridiculous cover...I remember when this came out and I thought some day when I really want to torture myself with something so bad it might be good I'll watch this.
They wanted it to be a B-Movie and somebody must be watching it considering they chose to do two more of them and I will sadly watch those too quite likely.Danny Trejo is sort of a bizarre story because he does have something likable about him.
He is really good at being in these horribly bad movies because he acts like he's taking them so seriously.
And it's nice to see luck smiles for an actor like Trejo in his aging days, after a long life of secondary, or in fact trivial, stereotyped roles.Despite that you know every step of the story, have seen all of it before, but the movie keeps you glued to your seat, and maintains a fine thrill and action along the way.
Bad Ass. Also nice to see guest appearances by good actors like Ron Perlman and Charles S.
Anyway, I liked it and I think especially Danny Trejo did a good job..