Last Rampage is a film about Gary Gene Tison (Robert Patrick) based on the eponymous book by James W. Clarke who served as an associate producer on the film. Tison was a career criminal who spent most of his adult life in prison. Last Rampage is a film about his true life 1978 escape from prison which was notable for the fact his three teenage sons Donald (Alex MacNicoll), Raymond (Skyy Moore) and Ricky (Casey Thomas Brown) helped him and his associate Randy Greenawalt (Chris Browning) escape. At the time of his escape, Tison was serving a life sentence for killing a prison guard. Greenawalt was serving a life sentence of his own for a 1974 murder.
On the Run
Last Rampage is a tense watch as it quickly becomes very clear Gary Tison will lash out at anyone who gets in his way including his own sons. He’s a paranoid man who kills people just in case they turn on him later. You get the sense he is a predator who is using everyone around him to get what he wants. The sad thing is that only one of his sons has caught on which turns the trip to Mexico into a nightmare of sorts for all involved.
Watching Last Rampage, I was reminded of At Close Range – a similar true crime film about a criminal father and his sons. At Close Range was a film about Bruce Johnston Sr. or Brad Whitewood Sr. (Christopher Walken). In the film, he was the leader of a notorious gang of thieves in Pennsylvania who manipulated his two sons Brad Jr. and Tommy (Sean and Chris Penn) into participating in his crimes until one of them turned against him. Both Gary and Bruce were highly charismatic figures making it very easy to see why their sons were drawn to them in the first place. Sadly enough both fathers were abusive and manipulative as well, leading to tragic consequences.
Direction
One of the great things about this film is its cinematography. Rafael Leyva‘s shots showcase the arid landscape in a way which illustrates the unforgiving nature of the desert between the Tisons and their destination. The overhead shots in particular, show how insignificant the Tisons are in an environment in which they cannot survive for long without assistance. It makes the Tisons look like a couple of ants that are about to get stepped on by destiny itself, especially once their car breaks down. Last Rampage was directed by Dwight H. Little, known for his work on TV shows like, 24, Bones and Prison Break – and it shows. Little knows how to hold the audience’s attention at all times whether we’re watching the Tisons flight or some of the other storylines.
Parallel Storylines
As the Tisons and Greenawalt head for Mexico, Last Rampage also tells the story of Tison’s wife Dorothy (Heather Graham) and Sheriff Cooper (Bruce Davison). Dorothy is an interesting character as she is blindly loyal to her husband regardless of what has been written about him or the fact he’s been incarcerated for such a long time. This in itself is a testament to her husband’s ability to charm anyone into believing anything he tells them. Dorothy believes Gary has been led astray by men like Gary Greenawalt.
Sheriff Cooper is the man who put Tison in prison, and once he hears about the escape he decides to make sure Gary goes back to prison as fast as possible. As the Tisons and Greenawalt head for Mexico, Sheriff Cooper starts to tighten the screws on their former associates turning the Tisons run for the border into a gripping race against the clock.
The Art of Robert Patrick
Last Rampage is an homage to the art of Robert Patrick‘s acting. Every time Patrick speaks to, or even looks at someone, you wonder whether that person will survive the encounter. This makes the scenes in which he charms people all the more disturbing. Patrick has been a well-respected actor ever since he played the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (which is currently enjoying a theatrical 3D re-release), going on to appear on shows like The X Files, The Unit and True Blood – as well as appearing in many films.
It’s good to see a man of his stature get the ability to flex his muscles. Too often actors like him get stuck playing so-called ‘character actor’ roles, meaning a good supporting role but rarely the lead. The good thing about the current state of affairs in the film industry is that there are more opportunities out there due to lower production costs and a democratization of the marketplace leading to films such as Last Rampage coming out with a better chance of finding their audience through online campaigns etc.
Solid Supporting Performances
It should be mentioned that the supporting cast is very good as well, every second Chris Browning‘s Greenawalt is on-screen you know he is smarter than he’s letting on. He’s similar to a character like ‘Theodore T-Bag Bagwell’ from Prison Break in that way, always scheming, always surviving, utterly ruthless. Speaking of which, John Heard who appeared in Prison Break as well, does a good job as the warden of the prison from which Tison and Greenawalt escape. Heather Graham‘s turn as Dorothy Tison is excellent as well, the way she deals with a young journalist named Marisa (Molly C. Quinn) makes you wonder whether she’s naive about her husband’s actions or whether she is just as manipulative. Bruce Davison‘s performance as Sheriff Cooper is wonderful. He knows how evil Gary Tison is because he’s dealt with him before, which is why he is so devastated by his escape. He understands this means innocent people will die. Alex MacNicoll, Skyy Moore and Casey Thomas Brown deliver gripping performances as Tison’s sons.
Last Rampage: Final Thoughts
Last Rampage is a gripping crime thriller about a jailbreak and a subsequent road trip which leads to a number of killings. Last Rampage does a good job of exploring the way in which fathers, even when largely absent, can influence their children. The film also explores the way in which being on the run can alter the mind of a man, a fascinating subject that seems to have carried over from director Dwight Little’s time working on the original version of the TV show Prison Break.
Last Rampage is a delight for true crime film fans, especially the subset of people with an interest in serial and/or spree killers. Last Rampage is a film that mixes the parental misguidance of At Close Range with the homicidal road trip subject matter of true crime films like In Cold Blood and Badlands. Last Rampage is a well-acted, well-directed and well-written film, I hope people will find this film in an ever more crowded marketplace as it is absolutely worth a watch!
Are you interested in the story of Gary Tison? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Rampage will be released in the U.S. on September 22nd, 2017. For international release dates, click here.
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