Director Josh Tessier opens Overrun with a homage to Goodfellas before embarking on a wild ride of double-crossing, brutality, and intrigue with a dash of humor. His film is a high-octane action flick with an eccentric sensibility.
The charismatic Omid Zader plays Marcus, an ex-military extraction specialist who must infiltrate Russian mobster Arkadi Dubkova’s (the infamous Bruce Dern, clearly having fun chewing the scenery in this nefarious role) mansion to steal a mysterious briefcase. He must complete this mission with the help of his tech wizard friend Auggy Riggs (Jack Griffo) who conducts his work while wearing a unicorn onesie. It’s little details like that that make Overrun such a quirky entry in the action genre, despite its adherence to many cliches.
What follows is a confluence of mobsters, detectives, and assassins in a tangled web of secrets that is not the easiest to follow, but it's exciting to be a part of the chaos. While being framed by a corrupt detective, Marcus gets a bounty on his head and must run from gangsters. The mobsters end up kidnapping Marcus’ sister, Reyna (Chelsey Goldsmith) from her waitress job in order to pressure him into delivering the briefcase to crime boss Ray Barren. The supporting players Robert Miano, Nick Turturro, and William Katt deliver striking performances as these gritty, underworld characters.
What stands out the most about Overrun is how well shot it is. The incredible action scenes feature dynamic camerawork and a sleek visual style. Some of the effects are clearly low budget, but they never distract and look quite decent. The comedic touches in Roberto Ahumada, Josh Tessier, Victoria González, and Craig R. Key's script helps the film avoid being too grim or overly serious. Overrun is shlocky fun with a diverse cast that bolsters slick action and visceral thrills.