Bullet Points: Dominion (1995)
Are you on the hunt for a movie featuring some high quality character actors? Are you on the hunt for a movie featuring wild action in the great outdoors? Are you on the hunt for a movie you probably didn’t even know existed?
If you answered yes to any or all of those three questions, you’ll probably want to track down 1995’s Dominion…
- The Thrill of the Hunt: As the movie begins we see our policeman hero Harris (Brad Johnson, Nam Angels) interacting with his wife and kids before he goes off with his friends for their annual hunting trip. There are six guys in total in this hunting party with Harris’ partner on the police force and first time hunter Joel (Geoffrey Blake, The Last Starfighter) and Fitz (Tim Thomerson, Zone Troopers) being the two friends that really stood out to me. The guys make their way to the airport while some generic rock music plays. Once they arrive they board the Lynwood Adventures helicopter and the whirlybird drops the Harris hunting party off into the wilderness and it is time to let the good times roll… or is it?
- Missing in Action: There have been some changes to Lynwood Adventures since Harris and his crew were last there, most notably the fact that the owner and proprieter of the hunting preserve, Lynwood (Brion James, Blade Runner) has disappeared. The disappearance occurred after his teenage son was off on his own on the preserve, killed in a hunting accident. The only sign of Lynwood for the past six months is his picture that hangs proudly at the Lynwood Adventures office… Another major change that Harris and his friends will soon learn about the hard way, is that there is a guy in the woods that is killing hunters indiscriminately. Hmmm… who would be holding some sort of grudge against hunters? Could it be a guy that lost his son in a hunting accident especially one that is played by a guy with some major action movie bad guy credentials?
- Kill or Be Killed: In case you didn’t put two and two together, Lynwood is the guy killing hunters on his hunting preserve. It is a bit of cruel irony that Lynwood’s son died on Lynwood’s land and at the hands of people who were paying Lynwood to kill things. But that irony is great motivation for Lynwood to snap and feel justified doing the horrible things he is doing… like picking off Harris’ friends one by one. This leaves Harris, a cop by trade and a well seasoned hunter by hobby, to track down the maniacal Lynwood and take him out… this is no easy task and it is made even worse when another hunting party on the preserve that has had guys killed by Lynwood, mistake Harris as the killer and start going after him. The movie does a great job of stacking the deck against our hero Harris, not to the point that I didn’t think he’d come out victorious in the end, but Harris has to go through a lot of physical, mental and emotional anguish to get there… it is the definition of a hard fought victory.
Dominion is an average action thriller with an “ordinary joe” action hero and an extraordinary action villain thanks to the menacing Brion James. But the real show stealer in the movie was Tim Thomerson. Thomerson’s Fitz was the life of the hunting party and he was oozing charisma when regaling the rookie hunter Joel with the incredible happenstance filled story with how this group of friends first met. I have to admit my interest in the movie waned a bit after Fitz is taken out by Lynwood, proving what a vital part to the presentation Tim Thomerson was.
A vital part to any of my reviews are the Bonus Bullet Points…
- Peaches and Herb: Former co-stars, Brion James and Tim Thomerson were reunited on the set of Dominion. The two had previously worked together in Hong Kong 97 and Spitfire.
- Missed Opportunity: A group of guys pile into a helicopter headed for a drop off point in the wild and they don’t bother to play “Long Tall Sally”!?! Why even take a helicopter?!?
- Disturbing Quote: “You better get some sleep Lance, tomorrow we gotta climb Mount Big Balls.”
- Location, Location, Location: Dominion was shot at Malibu Creek State Park. Some other notable films that were shot there include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Masters of the Universe, Halloween H2O and the original Planet of the Apes.
- Worst Hunting Preserve Ever: I don’t recall seeing a single animal on the hunting preserve… I suppose they could have all been spooked by the murdering taking place.
- Book It: If you would like to book a hunting trip with Lynwood Adventures just call 705-555-8992. Speaking of booking a hunting trip…
- If You Ever: …thought the opening credits of a movie should feature a phone conversation of a guy booking a hunting trip, then this is the movie for you.
