| Fatal Deviation | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Shay Casserley |
| Written by | James Bennett, Simon Linscheid |
| Starring | James Bennett Mikey Graham Colin Hamilton Justin Harmon Michael Regan |
| Distributed by | Rising Sun Productions |
| Release date(s) | 1998 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
Fatal Deviation is a low-budget cult film produced and set in Trim, County Meath, Ireland. Produced in 1998, it enjoys the distinction of being Ireland's first full-length martial arts film. The film stars real-life martial arts enthusiast James Bennett. The movie went straight to video without a theatrical release. In 2010, Cracked.com labeled the film "the worst film ever made."[1]
Contents |
Fatal Deviation tells the story of Jimmy Bennett, a disenfranchised young man trying to rebuild his life on returning home after a period in reformatory school. He aims to discover who killed his father while he was away and also to win the upcoming Bealtaine Fighting Festival. However, the local drugs gang see Jimmy and the festival as ideal vehicles for strengthening their grip on the town. When Jimmy refuses to join them, they turn on him. The gang leader arranges for "Seagull" to return from his successful mission in Hong Kong on a direct flight to Trim airfield in order to take part in the festival. Meanwhile the gang leader's son, Mikey (played by Mikey Graham of Boyzone fame), has Jimmy's girlfriend kidnapped and leaves Jimmy a note warning him to "Loose [sic] or else".
Jimmy 's fortunes begin to change when he is brought under the tutelage of a group of mysterious local monks who had trained his father, a martial arts champion, many years before. Under the guidance of the mysterious head monk, Jimmy undertakes an intensive training programme in preparation for the tournament. Jimmy goes on to reach the final, where he faces Seagull - whom he defeats with a well-timed use of the mysterious "Fatal Deviation" move as taught to him by the head monk.
Having triumphed over Seagull, Jimmy then takes on the gang and rescues his girlfriend. In doing so, he kills Mikey. On hearing of his son's death the gang leader seeks bloody vengeance ("You killed my son, now I'm going to kill you, just as I killed your father"), but Jimmy ultimately dispatches him too. The film ends with Jimmy reunited with his girlfriend and looking confidently forward to a happy and peaceful future in Trim.