Disturbing the Peace

I think the story of how Guy Pearce got snookered into making Disturbing the Peace would be far more interesting than the movie itself. The story centers around a biker gang taking over a town (whose populace apparently nearly all took a field trip on the same day, making it easy for the criminals to round-up the leftover dozen or so hostages). Along with hitting the bank, the gang is also targeting an armored car carrying millions in cash... to a town where apparently very few people live? What do they need with the money? Well... that's just one of many questions the movie has no answer for.

Taking steps to limit response by authorities outside of town, the gang must deal with the local Marshall (Pearce), a former Texas Ranger haunted by his past. The script by Chuck Hustmyre (whose only credits include straight-to-video flicks starring the likes of Steven Seagal and Dave Bautista) offers some astonishing bad writing at times (to go with some questionable acting). There's an interesting idea buried deep, deep, deep at the heart of of the film but better hands than those of director York Alec Shackleton are called for to find it.

Devon Sawa stars as the head of the gang whose ties to the town are suggested several times but never truly explored. Kelly Greyson is the tough country girl, and lady friend to our hero, who can stand-up for herself (until the script inexplicably calls for her to hide from no one in particular), but she comes off better than WWE star Barbie Blank who isn't given much to do other than show off her midriff and glare into the camera. More than simply "low-budget," the B-movie looks cheap and hastily thrown together with some questionable set pieces and some unimaginative traps left by the Marshall for our villains (which make up the majority of the action). At best, Disturbing the Peace is a $2 Redbox movie where you feel you overpaid by at least $1.50.