Bad Axe (2022)
97%RT Audience Score: 100%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Making discomfiting statements about American political willpower and race relations, Bad Axe offers a close-up perspective on societal turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bad Axe is like a punch in the gut, but in a good way. It’s a movie that doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truths about American politics and race relations. And boy, does it hit close to home during these crazy COVID times.
The film takes you on a wild ride through societal turmoil, and it’s not always pretty. But that’s what makes it so damn good. It’s like watching a train wreck, but you can’t look away.
The filmmakers really know how to make you squirm in your seat, but in a way that’s oddly satisfying. You’ll leave the theater feeling like you just went through a cathartic experience.
So, if you’re looking for a movie that will make you think and feel, Bad Axe is definitely worth checking out. Just be prepared to have your world rocked.
Production Company(ies)
Asian Stories, Izo, Prejudice, Social, Topical, VOD
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Michigan, United States
MPAA / Certificate
NR
Year of Release
2022
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 42m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 2022 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2022
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, COVID-19 pandemic, Asian-American family, Trump’s rural America, restaurant, American dream, Neo-Nazis, generational scars, Cambodian Killing Fields, David Siev, Jude Hope Harris, Diane Moy Quon, Katarina Vasquez, directed by David Siev, produced by Jude Hope Harris, Diane Moy Quon, David Siev, Katarina Vasquez, executive produced by Dawn Bonder, reviewed by Claudia Puig, Randy Myers, Adam Kempenaar, Michael Rechtshaffen, Natalia Winkelman, G Allen Johnson, Wade Major, Shawn Edwards, Edward Douglas, Glenn Dunks, Derek Sante, genre: documentary, box office: $16.7K, IFC Films, MPAA rating: not rated, COVID-19, pandemic, family, immigrants, American society, political divide, slice-of-life portrait, emotional, honest, humane
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend: $9,991
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $9,991
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,691
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jude Hope Harris – Producer
Diane Moy Quon – Producer
Katarina Vasquez – Producer
Dawn Bonder – Executive Producer
Director(s)
David Siev
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Jude Hope Harris, Diane Moy Quon, David Siev, Katarina Vasquez
Film Festivals
South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (2)
A stirring tribute to strong family ties and triumphing over adversity.
November 30, 2022
Claudia Puig
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
“Bad Axe” comes out the most organic, showing not telling about this family of immigrants and their bonds to get through the toughest times.
November 22, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Randy Myers
San Jose Mercury News
TOP CRITIC
…a curious, compassionate portrait of a country, community, and family in flux. And as socio-politically topical as it is, what lingers are the emotionally introspective ways the family members change during this volatile time.
November 18, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Adam Kempenaar
Filmspotting
TOP CRITIC
A penetrating assessment of American society at the time of the pandemic.
November 18, 2022
Michael Rechtshaffen
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Even if Siev wants “Bad Axe” to emerge as an ode to his family’s strength, the film feels more like a home video exercise.
November 17, 2022
Natalia Winkelman
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
It is not just among the finest and most important films of the year, but it will stand as a valuable historical and social document of these times.
November 16, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
G. Allen Johnson
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It touches on all these different things and does so to a very powerful degree, but it sort of meanders in between.
November 30, 2022
Wade Major
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
Terrific storytelling. “Bad Axe” does a fantastic job of humanizing the pandemic with fantastic insight on both a deeply personal level and with keen business observations. A smart, important and entertaining documentary.
November 27, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Shawn Edwards
Fox 4 Kansas City
Going to be one of my top docs of the year [because] it’s a movie that really connected with me on many levels.
November 23, 2022
Edward Douglas
The Weekend Warrior
…first-time filmmaker David Siev lands upon potent ideas of the political divide across America (it’s not as blue state/red state, or even blue county/red county state as some may like to conceive it…
November 23, 2022
Glenn Dunks
The Film Experience
Emotional and honest, great documentary!
November 23, 2022 | Rating: B+
Derek Sante
KSNV (Las Vegas)
The subjects are compelling regardless of the circumstances in this frank and transparent slice-of-life portrait that’s more humane than heavy-handed.
November 23, 2022
Todd Jorgenson
Cinemalogue…
Plot
A real-time portrait of 2020 unfolds as an Asian-American family in Trump’s rural America fights to keep their restaurant and American dream alive in the face of a pandemic, Neo-Nazis, and generational scars from the Cambodian Killing Fields.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels does not have any Goofs listed for the film Bad Axe.
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