Frank Grillo’s Latest Is Another Gritty ‘Taken’-Esque Revenge Flick
The start of the year is never a good time for movies, so it’s good that we can count on dads to save the day on a regular basis. Start with “out of stock” A decade ago, fathers became heroes of action, saviors who will do anything to right wrongs and save lives. The most recent example of this is “Little Dixie”, a February release that pins an increasingly hostile father against a Mexican cartel.
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023
Remember, folks, nobody’s more aggressive than Dad. He will cut off your head with a knife (“Taken”), blow up your operation with a match (“No one”) and torment each of your customers with a fork (“The Commuter”). Anything to protect your loved ones. Doc (Frank Grillo) is just another dad trying to support his family, except he has more problems than your average dad. He has to pay child support, give up alcohol and a job taking care of Governor Jeffs (Eric Dane), who has just sent the youngest member of the cartel to the presidency.
The execution leads to a string of hits in which the Prados, grieving the loss of their brother, try to blow everyone on Jeff’s crew out. That leaves Doc – who has Special Forces training – to fend for himself when crap hits the fan and when his daughter (Sofia Bryant) is being held hostage in exchange for the death of Richard Jeffs. While most heroes would pursue Prado, Doc pursues the governor of Oklahoman, blurring the line between hero and antihero while rescuing his daughter. Sparks fly in the grueling chase as Doc takes out more men than we can count.
Little Dixie is as efficient, gritty, and messy as its main character, which is a good thing since nobody wants their B movies to look as polished as their A-list fare. Much like Neeson’s films, this tight thriller has plenty of bruises and blemishes, but once the bullets start flying none of it really matters. Director John Swab keeps us engaged with the action and shows us what Doc is capable of when his daughter’s life is at stake. Sometimes it’s gunfights in empty warehouses; At times it’s hand-to-hand combat in gory, bone-crushing scenes that leave viewers wincing in pain.
The search for his daughter “Dixie” feels like a low-budget version of “Taken” or a New Coke version of “John Wick”, but with an undertone of racism that these films didn’t have. The local villains are of course Mexicans (Because all Mexicans have guns), and the fact that Doc is from a Republican state really makes you question what Swab is trying to say. Is this another ad for Mexico’s Wall or is it just a coincidence? Whatever the case, it’s hard to look past the visceral struggles on display. When you go inside “Little Dixie” If you’re expecting nothing more than watching Grillo take down a bunch of bad guys, you’ll be more than satisfied with the ride that “Dixie” has to offer. Just don’t expect more. [C+]