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The Bad Bunch Reviews

1973
1 hr 22 mins
Drama
R

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This early '70s effort from veteran exploitation director Greydon Clark attempts to create a more socially conscious variation on the blaxploitation genre, but devotes most of its time to thrills of the most lurid variety. The story begins with Jim (director and co-writer Clark), a liberal-minded white Vietnam vet witnessing the death of a black soldier. He returns home and attempts to deliver the fallen soldier's posthumous Purple Heart to the soldier's family. In the process, he angers Makimba(Tom) (Tom Johnigarn), an angry militant who was the soldier's brother. Jim and Makimba's paths continue to cross as the two deal with their problems: Jim struggles to decide whether he should settle down with the prim and proper Nancy (Jacqueline Cole) or live with the free-spirited Bobbie, and Makimba develops an ever-growing anger towards white society as he is hounded by racist white cops, Lt. Stans (Aldo Ray) and Sgt. Berry (Jock Mahoney). Tom is finally driven over the brink and takes action, resulting in a tragedy that changes both men's lives forever. Despite the serious nature of the story line, the film that resulted is an exploitative affair that takes every opportunity to titillate the audience with plenty of sex and violence. As a result, its attempts at social consciousness went ignored, but its salacious moments went over well with the drive-in crowd. Director Greydon Clark later revisited the blaxploitation genre with the even more exploitative Black Shampoo.

Reviewed By: Donald Guarisco

This awkward combination of blaxploitation thrills and confused social commentary is guaranteed to fascinate B-movie fans for all the wrong reasons. The Bad Bunch's key problem is that its "social consiousness" rings hollow. It sermonizes to the audience about racial tolerance while utilizing a story line that is build on exploiting the dark side of racial unease. It also devotes an inordinate amount of time to Jim's romantic problems, which offer little to the story except some gratuitous nudity. Another big problem with The Bad Bunch is awkward direction, which constantly shifts the film's tone in a way guaranteed to throw viewers off guard; for instance, a tragic death scene is immediately followed by a happy-go-lucky romantic montage. The final nail in the coffin for The Bad Bunch is its amateurish acting. Tom Johnigarn is way too stiff a performer to convey the kind of rage that is supposed to drive Makimba, and Aldo Ray is so wildly over-the-top as Lt. Stans that he makes this potentially scary character into a cartoon. Despite these many problems, The Bad Bunch will keep B-movie fans entertained because it is never dull. Every few minutes there is a bit of quotably trashy dialogue or an absurd moment guaranteed to leave even the hardiest exploitation vets slack-jawed with amazement. As a result, The Bad Bunch is best left to devotees of cinematic sleaze.