Head Count Digital Review | Road Rash Reviews

4 star suspenseful life and death test of memory.

Head Count is a 2023 American comedy/thriller film directed by Ben and Jacob Burghart, who make their impressive directorial feature debut with this fun and innovative film, which they also co-wrote alongside Josh Doke.

It is available to stream on UK Digital Platforms from 19th February 2024 courtesy of Blue Finch Film Releasing.

“I might have a chance. How many bullets are left in this thing? Think.”

Kat (Aaron Jakubenko – Great White, The Shannara Chronicles) is a prisoner working a chain gang with his fellow inmates when a unique opportunity arises. A wild animal drags one of them into the bushes, his chain is broken and he steals the supervising police car and makes his escape. He’s in luck, in the lunch pail on the seat he finds a sandwich and a handgun containing six bullets.

Cut forward in time and we see Kat held by an unknown assailant with his new found gun pointed at his head as the man pulls the trigger. With time ticking away fast, Kat begins to try and recall (through a series of flashbacks) how many bullets are left in it and how they came to be expended.

We see him meet up with his brother Hayes (Kyle Dyck – Found Wandering Lost) and ex girlfriend Jo (Melanie Zanetti – Gabriel’s Rapture) at the bar where she works. He also gets caught up with local cop Sawyer (Ryan Kwanten – Glorious, True Blood) as well as super shady arms dealer Vince (Michael Timlin – Slice) and his pals. Can he remember the bullet count in time to save himself and find out who is doing this to him?

“I’m moving on. Already been weird. Do they make dolls that look like kids hiding in a corner?”

Head Count is a smart well written thriller that keeps you guessing right to the end. The acting is very good and it’s an excellent premise for a story, I really enjoyed the bullets counting down each time we changed to a different scenario. You do have to have your wits about you as we skip about in time quite a bit, but it all comes together well.

There is lots of tension, but also plenty of comedy, ensuring that it never takes itself too seriously. A very good first feature from the Burghart Brothers and I look forward to seeing what they have to offer in the future.

A really good fun film and well worth a watch.

“What was that? Was that the idiot test? ‘Cos you failed. I mean, you passed. You know what I mean.”