The action thriller “Overrun” opens with a violent scene: a botched crime leaves two men brutalized by Russian mob operatives. Director Josh Tessier’s debut feature delivers plenty of fast paced action but he also adds a light touch — there are eccentric cops in the “Columbo” mold and a high tech wizard who coaches his buddy remotely while dressed in a unicorn onesie. This doesn’t fit with the larger, more sinister crooks and cops plot. The film is perhaps aiming for a Coen Brothers tone of grim absurdity. But that’s a tall order for any director especially one working from a rather pedestrian script.
Omid Zadler plays Marcus, a former military extraction specialist hired by the slick, nasty Ray (Robert Miano) for the seemingly impossible task of getting inside the heavily guarded mansion belonging to Russian mobster Arkadi Dubkova (Bruce Dern) and stealing a metal briefcase. Marcus must somehow dispense with the armed guards which he does rather easily and crack a safe that contains the coveted briefcase. He manages to do all this pretty handily with the help of his buddy remotely operating high tech surveillance equipment from his room. Dern is the least convincing Russian mob boss ever, but it’s Bruce Dern so he holds our interest.
Marcus then tangles with corrupt detective Ed Dobbs (William Katt), a wild card with nothing to lose. Dobbs kills Dubkova’s son Yuri (Nick Benseman) and plans to frame Marcus who is now on the lam, prized briefcase in hand. Dubkova has put out a hit on him: one million for Marcus dead; two million if he's delivered alive. The mobsters, meanwhile, abduct Marcus’s sister, Reyna (Chelsey Goldsmith) from her waitress job to pressure him into delivering the briefcase to Ray. It isn’t fun to watch Reyna tied up and screaming in a cell. Just when it seems things couldn’t get more convoluted or crazy, we get the dominatrix-like Ballista Grey (Monette Moio), yet another member of the hit squad on Marcus's tail.
The cliches pile up along with the bodies as the action progresses predictably.“Overrun”’s plot may defy credulity but it is watchable action fare improved by its solid cast.