00Dee Boned: Venison Jelly

Personally, I thought Rotisserie Chicken, for all its shortcomings, was one hell of a movie. For no particular reason other than the simple fact that it was pure, solid entertainment. The kind of trigger happy adventure that we all wished we could make when we were first learning the ropes of 3dmm, but were yet to truly master how to make a default character walk up a flight of stairs as ‘The Book’ so aptly demonstrated. And Venison Jelly, sequel, follow-up or continuation as you would have it, is a worthy addition to the series. Russell Stepfan comes off as a slower, more methodical and more patient Dan Martin, Venison Jelly’s action often a gluten of bullet-time, slowdown, gravity defiance, acrobatics and of course, comedy. One of the funniest PAMS I’ve seen in a good while, the story leads the action and often lends itself to it. Consequently action rarely goes without explanation, and it’s this fact that enables the audience to sit back and breathe out. Welcome to Dee Boned’s world.

The premise is simple. Dee Boned is framed for the abduction of a Venison Jelly sandwich, and subsequently it’s up to him to find out who stole it and clear his name. Enter Jaymond, Dee Boned’s drawling, bearded, villainous match complete with moderately familiar undertones (not naming any names of course) and the vocalist’s already confirmed status as a bastard among villains. The rest of the movie consists of a number of set pieces that explain away the rest of the action and actually (coincidentally or no) derives most of its humour from Bond-esque stereotypes, such as the complex discovery (the context behind Agent 539’s actions), ridiculous stunts and any number of shootouts. It’s with this knowledge of subtle and eccentric comedy that allows Stepfan to really enjoy the action, never taking a backseat from the plot driving it or indeed the humour (the signs in the timber sewer are surely a comedic highlight). It’s just a shame that, for all its strength, there’s little more to 00 Dee Boned’s antics than various PAMs, and that we never really get a chance to fundamentally appreciate his wryness as demonstrated in the frankly lazy shot reverse shot conversation with Agent 539 at the midway point. True in Venison Jelly we spend more time with the character than the other movies, but there is definitely still a big gaping hole where the characterisation should be and ought to be for us to fully appreciate the series.

Venison Jelly is on the whole a hugely visual treat, and like Rotisserie Chicken and You Only Live Until you Die before it, the movie is mindlessly entertaining. It is with regret that I have to express my desire to see more of the character and what exactly is going on in Dee Boned’s and to a wider extent Stepan’s world. Some will argue I have missed the point but with another addition to the series I can safely retaliate Russell has since made his point, and now is the time to offer up a helping of something new, while retaining all the aspects that make this movie and the others so much fun. But then again, I could be prophesising and this could just be the calm before the storm. Witty, funny and very likeable, Venison Jelly is immense and enjoyable without out-staying it’s welcome.