Dick Dynamite 1944 film review: A gory flat-out rollercoaster of action-packed laughs

After years in the making, and countless hours of sacrifice from the cast and crew, Dick Dynamite 1944 finally made its riotous debut in Fife on Saturday, September 24, at two packed-out showings in Carnegie Hall.

Dick Dynamite 1944 is a mix of horror, comedy and action.

The Dunfermline venue could barely contain the excitement of ticket-holders eager to catch the first viewing of the feature-length film that has taken the hard work of so many.

Gary 'Snars' Allan bulges on screen as the musclebound hero who blasts his way through the Nazi front lines, leaving a trail of body parts in his wake.

Amid the endless slaughter of enemy soldiers in northern France, he finds that the sneaky SS have a few tricks up their sleeves, culminating in a high-octane horror comedy featuring ninjas, zombies, and more than a few celebrity cameos.

Written and directed by Kirkcaldy filmmaker Robbie Davidson, Dick Dynamite 1944 is a gory flat-out rollercoaster of action-packed laughs.

The film has more than a nod to the old exploitation films of the 70s with over-the-top violence and comical dialogue, but in many ways it's also a love letter to the action movies of the 80s.Of all the Nazis dispatched by the Schwarzenegger-esque hero (and there are many), few manage to die without first having Dynamite deliver a suitable one-liner that would have felt quite at home in Commando or Predator.

Elsewhere the actors take great glee in every line, looking for every opportunity to send up classic action movie dialogue. Everyone is obviously enjoying themselves in the part, projecting an energy that lets the audience hungrily lap up the laughs.

The growing camaraderie between Mark Burdett's ballsy Brooklyn and Adam Harper's bookish Wakowski is clearly enjoyed by both parties, each keen to send up old cliches in movie banter.

Shaun Davidson as Dash Dalton.

Elsewhere, Robbie's brother Shaun Davidson drew huge laughs as British secret agent Dash Dalton, a rogueish officer convinced of his own superiority, like a bigoted Rik Mayall keen to show the Bosch who's boss. It’s an outstanding performance, Davidson milks every bit of joy in bringing to life all the worst aspects of the British Empire in one man.

Perhaps no one relishes their part more than Olly Bassi, playing the main villain, Max Schtacker. The sadistic SS Colonel loves every minute of being evil - Bassi rarely stops grinning as he puts even his own men to death in a series of increasingly dramatic executions - just ask Irvine Welsh!

The Trainspotting author is just one of countless cameos to feature, with the likes of Game of Thrones star Clive Russell, Electric Six singer Dick Valentine, and former Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri to name just a few.

It all comes together to make for one hell of a thrill-ride that finally marks the end of production on a movie that has taken years to complete after being marred by successive lockdowns.

Mark Burdett as Brooklyn, Adam Harper as Officer Wakowski, and Valerie Birss as Agent Jennings.

That Robbie Davidson managed to bring together a project of this scale with so little budget is nothing short of a miracle.

While he now looks set to find Dick Dynamite some space on the film festival circuit, we look forward to his next project.

But one thing’s for sure after the triumphant message that filled the screen at the end of the credits.

"Dick Dynamite will return”.