I think it's all pretty obvious that such a movie like this would exist only in the straight to video market. In that this would be the type of movie, if made in the 80's would be paired next to the new David Carradine action flick. However as a fan of such grotesque badness, I must admit that Deaden ISN'T the worst made movie. In fact with all things considered Deaden is fairly competent in a no budget action flick type of way. On the other hand though, this is one insanely ridiculous bad movie. Hence making it perfect for Bad Movie Knights.

The first thing one needs to know, is that the lead actor is none other than Arrow In The Head's John Fallon. To pay homage to such, he literly gets shot in the head with an arrow. We open with Arrow, tied to a chair (in a wifebeater, no less!) watching the humilating torture of his wife from his former associates. (I couldn't figure out whether he was a biker, druglord or just a thug) And how do they torture his lovely wife? By sticking a baseball bat down her snatch! I share in Pat's disdain for the game of baseball, but i'm fairly sure that if there were more bats going into various snatches, the game of baseball would probably still be boring. However things get truly surreal when they give the wife a free abortion. We even get to see the baby (Which looks like a doll dipped in blood batter) Of course we witness this sequence for quite awhile. Then Arrow reacts violently, although he waits for his wife's death before doing anything. And this is when he gets an arrow in the head and is then dumped in the river.

The Arrow lives however and the agenda of the day, is getting revenge. And how does he accomplish task? He forces a woman to eat glass (Who did the baseball probe on wife) he forces her to eat it by the chunks. Which is I must admit i've never seen before on film, although the next set piece is somehow even more of a showstopper. You see he goes to kill the next guy responsible for his wife and his baby's murder and this time he uses a pool stick to shove up the ass of said guy. How does this guy die? Well he dies by getting a pool stick shoved straight through his asshole and into his throat. Once again i've yet to ever see this duplicated in another film.

One thing about Arrow, is his dependency on a pain killer, which he chews. In addition to the meds, he drinks and does coke a lot. This one of those movies that Partnership For A Drug Free America would force the video distributers to put in a PSA explaining the horror of drug use. In fact I was reminded of one such commercial which relates to Arrow. I do coke, so I can make the pain go away, so I can kill more people, so I can do more coke, so I can make the pain go away, so I can kill more people. (The commercial by the way went "I do coke, so I can work longer, so I can make more money, so I can do more coke...Again and again ending with "I'm always chasing rainbows." as very glum music plays. It's on the Maniac Cop 2 video, in case you want to see the best drug ad ever.) Anyway if Arrow isn't killing people, he's inhaling coke. I kept wondering if he was going to drop dead from an overdose before he could kill all the bad guys.

As for the rest of the guys, there is one such bad guy who somewhat looks like Jeff Wincott, so much so I stopped the DVD and checked IMDb to find out if this is where Wincott had been hiding. Unfortunately the Wincott factor was denied and instead the guy goes by Sam the man, which when he receives his punishment, is in the middle of receiving a blowjob, from a man! Of course Arrow unleashes fists of fury that sends the innocent gay man to the big Liza Minelli show up in the sky. This of course pisses off our Jeff Wincott lookalike so a fight ensues with Arrow squishing his eyes and snapping his neck.

We learn much more and there is a plot twist, which makes zero sense. With a last bad guy that delivers zero payoff and in the end Deaden ends in a whimper. What is most shocking about Deaden, is that John Fallon (AKA Arrow) can sort of act. Now keep in mind the man is no Nicholson as he's about one step below Don "The Dragon" Wilson and one above Lorenzo Lamas. Which of course means he has the whole strong and silent type of role down, fairly competently. Basically the acting isn't as awful as say Troll 2's, but it's about on par for what you'd find in a Roger Corman production. So in other words, the acting is lame but not awful. Still I have to hand it to this movie, not only does try extremely hard to deliver the blood drenched goods (and at times it almost does) but also adds such a pretentious vibe as well as over the top antics which border on the surreal, that it's nearly impossible to not stay somewhat fascinated by this excercise in grotesque excess.

Also it features an amatuer abortion, a rape by baseball bat, a stick going up someone's ass, glass eating, people on fire, tons of drug use and scrubs that engage in one on one combat with hurt patients. Also in a fine moment, we witness Arrow beat up a drunk who makes an ass out of himself at a bar, of course it's night time when Arrow gets drunk (And meets the drunk) and beats up the guy in the day time. Now that is an action hero.

Oh and to make sure Arrow follows in the footsteps of the Belgian's best actor, he pulls a Van Damn!, During a sex scene in flashback (Which by the way are all over the place.) so for those who's lifelong ambition was to see the Arrow's ass, you are in luck. Of course I question the discretion of one said Arrow, because he could inspire a new slew of movie site critics to start baring their bare bottoms. I don't even want to think about Harry Knowles or Gene Shalit pulling a Van Damn, I mean seriously forget the whole nukes, global warming or a meteor this is what would end the universe.

Note from Pat: This movie is so bad, Amazon.com doesn't even offer it for purchase.....now I have to see this.

Hamlin Grade: 5

Ryan