The last branch of service is the final hope for mankind, as a horde of zombies attack in “Range 15”. Directed by Ross Patterson and produced entirely from the fighting veterans of America, the film takes place after a night of debauchery, with five military buddies waking up in the drunk tank only to find out that while they were passed out in their cell, the zombie apocalypse kicked off. Armed only with Billy clubs and their military experience, they break out of prison and fight their way to their old base. Along the way, they pick up a whole lot of weapons, a couple of damsels in distress, and, accidentally, the cure. Getting to the base, however, is only the beginning of their nightmare. Once there, their old boss, Colonel Holloway (Keith David), informs them that the only place that can synthesize the cure is Range 15, an isolated facility some 300 miles away, through zombie-infested desert. And to make matters worse, the zombies are getting faster with each hour, and Colonel Holloway is sending narcissistic super soldier Gene Vandenham (Patterson) to lead the mission. “Range 15” is rated R for violence, adult language, brief sexuality and scenes of adult humor.

When you watch “Range 15”, it forces you to re-define how you grade every movie after you see it. Going into this film, I knew very little about it other than what friends told me. The film was made entirely by and for our proud veterans to prove that no dream is too big for their return from war, funded entirely with an Indie-Go-Go promotion that met its mark in under a week. With that said, “Range 15” is arguably the most fun that I have had at a theater in 2016. It’s a brutal gut-punch between uncensored R-rated comedy at its raunchiest, as well as a healthy offering of over-the-top violence that brings out the fun in even the darkest of situations. Patterson and his gang craft a movie that brings out the best in the cheap aspect for this movie, and uses that handicap to further along the mayhem and debauchery that this movie unleashes on its audience. Make no mistake about it however, this is a movie made for veterans, so the crossover appeal is the biggest uphill challenge for the movie. After 89 unadulterated minutes, I can say that this one offers a welcoming bridge to moviegoers of all kind who just want to have a good time and forget about the world a couple hours. There are some jokes that only veterans will understand, but it’s not overbearing and only kept me scratching my head a time or two.

Perhaps the film’s real meat comes from an ensemble cast that made for the most honest of portrayals in any cast that I have seen in quite a long time. The fact that these are actual veterans acting through this movie goes a long way in their speech patterns, dialogue, and reactions as they come across the walking dead. These are portrayals that feel legitimate with the kind of war machines that are dedicating their lives to the ultimate sacrifice, and it’s in their chemistry with working off of one another where the movie felt the most appealing to me. What’s smart about this script is that it builds character relations without actually spending any time what so ever on backstory exposition or character history. Their unity grows as the film goes on, and “Range 15” does a terrific job in communicating that kind of bond that can only be formed when you toe the line of death with your closest brothers. I could talk for hours about the performances, but my personal favorite came from that of Mat Best as the charismatic leader of this band of misfits. It’s through his following where the movie gets its initial taste of the schtick that lies ahead, and Best certainly lives up to his appropriate name with quick-witted one liners that hit the mark nearly every time.

I mentioned earlier that the movie’s slim budget works mostly to its positives, and this can be seen in violence and special effects that are enjoyable, as well as believable. The makeup and prosthesis work is easy to get lost in, as a lot of it feels very detailed right down to the noticeable vein work. The fight doesn’t get too detailed in its depth, but works because most of this is MMA style grappling that includes actual MMA fighters. My only problems with the movie came in some creative choices for the very design of the movie that I might’ve left on the cutting room floor. The first is in some noticeable green screen work that really limits the ever-changing landscapes that the movie surprisingly provided. I only counted two green screen background scenes, and I don’t fully grasp why they were used in the first place. 90% of this movie is filmed on location, so when these scenes pop-up out of nowhere, it kind of throws off the overall look of the movie. My biggest problem though, and one that I completely didn’t get is why this movie used a fade-to-black effect during the first act of the movie and then never again. What I hate about this effect in every movie is that it pauses the story abruptly during the continuity flow, and feels like a big pause button on the entertainment. These kind of things work for movies with multiple endings, but they should only be used in the endings. That’s just my opinion.

Overall, “Range 15” is a knock-down, drag-em-out powder keg of unlimited proportions. Patterson combines a love of service with energetic B-movie cinema that never runs out of steam. The comedy is rude, satirical, and often times offensive, reaching for the biggest of reactions from the audience. I certainly would’ve had it no other way. If you dug the trailers, there will be no surrender for your investment into this good time, and this one will be a good time in any friendly gathering for decades to come.

7/10