Ok, this is a silly movie with poor acting, amateur fight scenes and nothing original about the story. However, it probably deserves a 3 or 4 for effort and, at least, a fair shake with the audience before a bunch of fake reviews and ratings. The 1-star reviews seem to be someone with a personal problem... hopefully IMDb staff with do better at flagging both kinds of fake reviews.
10 Reviews
Thrifty But Nifty In A Jiffy Kind of Way
zardoz-1328 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Sometimes, even a second-rate actioneer can be diverting, even when it is as hopelessly implausible as writer & director Michael Mattel Rosie's "The Handler." Most of the superficial action takes place in a lavish house in a quiet neighborhood where everybody minds their own business and has the good sense to ignore all the firefights and fisticuffs going on in our hero's house. Of course, when you shoot as low budget as Rosie must have, you cannot afford to hire extras to play nosy neighbors. That might have drawn the action into overtime, but then it would have been a different film. Although the flaws are apparent, this pastiche of an action movie displays sufficient flare and dare to make us appreciate its over-the-top audacity. This flashback-riddled crime melodrama racks up all the usual cliches but suffers from loquacity. Too many people talk too much! Remember what Tuco said in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?" "If you're going to shoot then shoot, don't talk." Nevertheless, Rosie delivers lots of bullet-blasting action, with a moronic mob boss whose dialogue consists of one F-word after every other word as if he had wandered out of a Martin Scorsese bloodbath. The largely unknown cast is game enough, even if their game isn't up to par, but Rosie does manage to stage a number of gritty action scenes. My favorite occurs when three killers interrupt our indestructible protagonist, Ryder Dune (Chris Levine), as he is spooning beans out of a can. Indeed, the villains materialize out of thin air when poor Ryder least expects them. This is one hero who is behind the 8 ball! For example, our hero cannot take a shower without somebody trying to sneak in and stab him! Mind you, you cannot take this movie seriously, but it is a blast to watch. Rosie plays the "what's in the bag" gag for all it is worth in the best Tarantino tradition. With a bigger budget like a Hami Saban-produced movie and a celebrity cast, "The Handler" might have been a contender. Clocking in at a meager 85 minutes, "The Handler" never wears out its welcome but the ending makes you wonder if they ran out bucks before bullets. Cathy Baron is a hellacious hottie even with her clothes on! The post-credits end scene is a puzzler and presumably a teaser for a sequel.
Laundromat Job
OmStarsong31 March 2023
Sound editing off.. Script missing large chunks.. Acting weak.. Visual Editing off.. Lighting was ok.. Common sense out the window.. Nobody in the neighborhood hears the hundreds of shots going off..? Nary a cop in sight.. 🙄 Obviously friends of the show are giving it higher ratings than it deserves.. The main character has been shot, stabbed, beat stupid and yet he seems to have boundless energy.. The editing is atrocious.. No sense of continuity.. And they ended the show with apparently a magic chair protecting this guy from constant fire..? 🤣 Top 8 worst shows all time.. Clearly nobody really cared about quality and this was almost certainly a laundering job.. I only gave it a 2 because this simplistic drivel was only an hour and a half..
Non stop action
Moviegoermoviegoer12314 December 2021
I am not a fan of action movies but I saw this with a friend that loves them and I was impressed by how fast it was, non stop action really. For being a low budget indie movie I thought it was good, I didn't get bored.
Great fun and a roller coaster of a ride!
thegunnslinger28 December 2021
Decent indie action flick
rookcarlsen7 December 2021
The strength in this film definitely lies in the fight action sequences. It's clear this is ultra low budget, but the film moves quickly and punches above the belt with some of the action scenes. The score helps it along as well.
Thrilling Action-Packed Film
lydiadi6 February 2022
Heavy action 80's Vibe flick!
matich-385428 December 2021
For a low budget debut this film is packed with non stop action! Love the retro feel of this film paying homage to the old school action films! Vinnie and his goon stone by far stole the show! Their scenes brought an extra intensity that just put the film over the top. Honestly wished they were featured more than they were. The actors who played those two really hit it out the park! 7/10 flick definitely worth a rewatch!
80s type action
chadboushell6 April 2022
I appreciate the nod to the 80s style action sequences. It's a good indie flick with action and fight scenes that do their job of entertaining the audience.
Some of the story line was a little confusing, and (as stated in other reviews) there was a lack of law enforcement. This being said, when you watch ANY movie, you are suspending some level of disbelief, and this is no different.
Overall, this was an entertaining action flick that pays homage to classic action flicks.
I see great potential with Chris Levine as a leading action star. The director is continually upping his game from one project to the next and look forward to his next film.
Some of the story line was a little confusing, and (as stated in other reviews) there was a lack of law enforcement. This being said, when you watch ANY movie, you are suspending some level of disbelief, and this is no different.
Overall, this was an entertaining action flick that pays homage to classic action flicks.
I see great potential with Chris Levine as a leading action star. The director is continually upping his game from one project to the next and look forward to his next film.
Spoiler!! Entertaining, but still confused!
Ilovemovies4129 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I have to start off by saying for a low budget film, this was quite entertaining. I understand what comes with a low budget film, but it kept me engaged, even with a plot that was confusing with suspect acting.
Having said that, the wife, Vinny, and Stone seemed to be the only individuals who had any acting skills (I'm sorry for those who I may offended). Stone seemed to be a character I actually believed in his fighting and questioning scenes. Would've liked to see more of that. I did think Vinny was decent, minus the fact he was going in and out of a terrible stereotypical Italian mob boss. Sometimes cringe worthy. With that thought, the actor that played Vinny, has he ever smoked a cigar in his life?! Playing a role that requires smoking you would think you would know how to hold one, light it, smoke it, and not look sooo corny every scene with a cigar in his mouth.
Spoiler alert: where the heck are the cops?!! How the heck, in a residential area, does 24 murders happen?! Some with guns, some by fights, and some by knifes, which is my second thought! Why the hell is he sending people with knifes to kill him? He states in the movie, "he keeps killing my men", so let's just send female assailants to come "beat him up" to death. I couldn't get behind that. Nor could I get behind, burning dead bodies in suburbs of LA. Burnt flesh would absolutely draw the attention of neighbors and the authorities, but not in this film. No LAWS!
Lastly, if the idealogy around the "Purge" ever comes to fruition in the United States (I hope not, Bc I'm gone for writing this review), I'm running out to my local Lazy-Boy and buying a chair that can substantiate multiple gun shots and not punch through and kill the main character.
What was in the damn bag?! If we don't find out, why is this called "the handler", what the heck is he handling?! Maybe the soprano type cliff hanger ending leads us to think there will be sequels?!?
If so, let's involve more of Stone and Vinny since they seem to be alive still (possibly?).
Overall a C with some bad acting, besides the characters I mentioned. I'm fans of these actors now and will look for future projects that they are in.
Having said that, the wife, Vinny, and Stone seemed to be the only individuals who had any acting skills (I'm sorry for those who I may offended). Stone seemed to be a character I actually believed in his fighting and questioning scenes. Would've liked to see more of that. I did think Vinny was decent, minus the fact he was going in and out of a terrible stereotypical Italian mob boss. Sometimes cringe worthy. With that thought, the actor that played Vinny, has he ever smoked a cigar in his life?! Playing a role that requires smoking you would think you would know how to hold one, light it, smoke it, and not look sooo corny every scene with a cigar in his mouth.
Spoiler alert: where the heck are the cops?!! How the heck, in a residential area, does 24 murders happen?! Some with guns, some by fights, and some by knifes, which is my second thought! Why the hell is he sending people with knifes to kill him? He states in the movie, "he keeps killing my men", so let's just send female assailants to come "beat him up" to death. I couldn't get behind that. Nor could I get behind, burning dead bodies in suburbs of LA. Burnt flesh would absolutely draw the attention of neighbors and the authorities, but not in this film. No LAWS!
Lastly, if the idealogy around the "Purge" ever comes to fruition in the United States (I hope not, Bc I'm gone for writing this review), I'm running out to my local Lazy-Boy and buying a chair that can substantiate multiple gun shots and not punch through and kill the main character.
What was in the damn bag?! If we don't find out, why is this called "the handler", what the heck is he handling?! Maybe the soprano type cliff hanger ending leads us to think there will be sequels?!?
If so, let's involve more of Stone and Vinny since they seem to be alive still (possibly?).
Overall a C with some bad acting, besides the characters I mentioned. I'm fans of these actors now and will look for future projects that they are in.
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