From Rex to Reacher, motion star Alan Ritchson has come a good distance since 2008. Whereas it is not unusual for actors to chop their enamel on low-budget motion pictures earlier than breaking out into superstardom, Ritchson as soon as starred in a micro-budgeted neo-western referred to as Rex that just about no person can discover, hire, or stream anyplace immediately. The film has grow to be so obscure and troublesome to find that we’re questioning whether or not it even exists. However even when it does, likelihood is excessive that Ritchson followers won’t ever see it.
With Ritchson persevering with to dominate Prime Video’s most-watched TV charts in Reacher Season 3, the intrigue surrounding Rex is just too robust to disregard. On the agenda is figuring out whether or not the film exists, what occurred to it, why it is so onerous to look at, and Ritchson’s function within the story. With as a lot proof as attainable, it is time to uncover every part identified about Rex and whether or not its shrouded nature has helped or hindered Ritchson’s profession trajectory.
What Is ‘Rex’ About?
Rex is a neo-western motion thriller written and directed by Christopher L. Miller. The story issues Chase (Ritchson), a younger man from Rex, Georgia, pressured to defend his household farm from a corrupt small-town sheriff named Bobby (Daniel Roebuck). 20 years earlier, Bobby framed Chase’s father for homicide and now seeks to take their land.
Chase turns into embroiled in a steamy romance together with his greatest pal’s girlfriend Dee (Robin Anne Phipps) as he tries to push back Bobby and his Deputy Sheriff (Derek Roebuck). The love triangle is additional difficult when Chase begins cooking methamphetamine in his basement, making a flamable setting that is not secure when drug vendor Luca (Eric Rosenberg) reveals up.
Worsening issues is Chase’s unwell, bedridden mom, Leanne (Natalie Canerday), whom he should look after in her dying days because the household farm hangs within the stability. Rex turns to the household pal Marcus Cotter (Duane Whitaker) to formulate a self-defense plan towards Bobby and his allies. Sadly, Rex by no means noticed the sunshine of day.
What Occurred to ‘Rex’?
Christopher L. Miller made his characteristic debut, Rex, on an estimated shoestring finances of $100,000. The supremely low-budget affair was shot on location in and round Atlanta, Georgia, roughly 15 miles from Rex, Georgia (aka Hollingsworth). Though Rex by no means discovered a distributor to launch the movie in a broad or restricted trend, Miller continued to direct low-budget tasks with little success.
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Regardless of garnering success within the digicam/electrical division, Miller couldn’t safe distribution for Rex in 2008, and the movie has sat on the shelf for almost 17 years. Even essentially the most avid Ritchson followers have been unable to find the film, a lot much less watch the entire thing. Rex has grow to be so onerous to search out that many individuals surprise if it even exists or will ever be launched now that Ritchson’s star energy is white-hot.
Does Rex Even Exist?
Okay, nice, we digress — Rex is clearly an actual film that exists someplace in a drawer on a USB drive (or one thing). There is a trailer for the movie, which depicts a fresh-faced Ritchson matching wits with Roebuck’s sinister sheriff. Reinforcing its impartial, low-budget high quality, the non-HD trailer is blurry and onerous to decipher. Ritchson’s Florida upbringing seems to have helped his efficiency as an American Southerner caught in a legal bind. Along with his trademark chiseled physique, Ritchson’s imposing bodily presence is displayed within the Rex trailer.
Past the trailer supporting its existence, Rex received 5 native movie pageant awards throughout its circuit run in 2008-09. The movie received the Viewers Selection Award for Drama on the Lengthy Island Movie Pageant and a Jury Prize for Greatest Breakout Efficiency by Robin Anne Phipps. Phipps additionally received a Spirit Award for Greatest Actress on the 2008 Queens Movie Pageant. Eric Rosenberg, who performs drug vendor Luca in Rex, was named Greatest Actor on the identical ceremony.
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Rex additionally acquired the Viewers Award on the 2008 Staten Island Movie Pageant, which Miller and producer Sam Borowski accepted. Removed from fantasy, a consumer commenting on Rex‘s YouTube trailer states:
“I am one of many fortunate ones who had the possibility to see this film on the Staten Island Movie Pageant, the place it received the viewers award. Nice job, guys!”
Now that Ritchson is a family title because of Reacher, is it value releasing Rex in 2025 to capitalize on his Hollywood warmth? Or is it greatest to go away Rex buried the place it rests? In any case, a two-year-old remark under the YouTube trailer reads:
“I am an enormous fan of Alan Ritchson and that is the one film of his I’ve by no means watched. Does anyone know the place I can discover it?”
Being Unable To Watch ‘Rex’ Is a Constructive
Whereas it might be enjoyable for Ritchson completists to look at Rex and see how far the bona fide motion star has come since 2008, it is best to go away Rex shrouded from the plenty. Regardless of its native pageant awards, one have a look at the trailer reveals a painfully poor manufacturing with a laughably overwrought efficiency by Roebuck, a terrific actor whose work in River’s Edge remains to be chilling to today.
For all his strapping charisma and bodily instructions, Ritchson provides understandably amateurish line readings that are not in any respect flattering. If the trailer highlights one of the best moments, then it stands to cause that Ritchson’s efficiency wanes over the complete runtime. In simply the third movie of his profession, Ritchson would in all probability desire to maintain Rex from seeing the sunshine of day. At this level, it might be extra of a humiliation than a feather within the cap.
Rex can’t be streamed, rented, or discovered anyplace on-line these days, regardless of YouTubers requesting the entire movie from the one who posted the trailer. Actually, it is for one of the best, as Ritchson has come such a good distance on his personal performing deserves since 2008 that his followers don’t want a painful reminder of his no-budget begin. Rex might translate to “King” in Latin, however for Ritchson and Amazon, Reacher takes the motion throne in 2025.