‘Mockbuster’ Review – B-Movie Documentary Captures The Hard And (At Times) Rewarding Work Of Filmmaking

“They say find the job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life, but after this, I might never work again.” — Anthony Frith, director.

Making movies is hard. It seems like an obvious statement, but it is the case. It is easy to stand in the cheap seats and toss stones at the screen, but until someone has called action and cut, criticism should be tempered and measured. Whether making a big-budget blockbuster or a low-grade B-movie, the process can be all the same—hard work. They often say never see how the sausage is made, but when it comes to filmmaking, it is an eye-opening experience at the behind-the-scenes mayhem, hoopla, and creativity.

“Every great director started somewhere, so there is no shame in starting at the bottom.”

That is certainly the sentiment and the case for director Anthony Frith, who goes from making corporate videos and short films to directing his first feature at the production company known for mockbuster B-movies, The Asylum. Mockbuster refers to the company’s motto of making B-grade movies cheaply. The company is behind such notorious titles as Sharknado, King of the Ants, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies, Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus, and Titanic II.

In the film Mockbuster, we go behind the scenes as Anthony Frith makes a dinosaur movie. In what he hopes will be his big break, the Hollywood B-movie kings at The Asylum give him a six-day shoot and a shoestring budget to make his movie and, hopefully, make something he can hang his hat on with confidence and pride. The film is a high-strung and poignant ride through the creative process. It is chaotic, heartbreaking, and inspiring, to say the least.

Above all else, it is a take-the-bull-by-the-horns look at filmmaking and a reminder that, good, bad, or cult favorite, all filmmaking is damn hard. It is an inspiring experience. The human story behind all the machinery and Hollywood tripwires is relatable to anyone who has ever dreamt of making a movie, much less being in one. Even through an arduous production process, films can be made.

Now, B-Movies are nothing new. Director Ed Wood made a name for himself in the 50s and 60s, directing a string of incomprehensible and bizarre films. There is a love for this type of film. It is also a testament to the creative process of filmmaking, which is like a rollercoaster. Tremendous highs and lows, and a ride so quick that when it’s over, the entire effect is jarring.

For better or worse, the film company The Asylum has cornered the market on the B-movie. The company is notorious for never having lost any money on a movie. Their strategy is effective: tight budgets, novel concepts, and marketing. It is this strategy that brings Anthony Frith into the company’s fold. At the core of this documentary is a budding filmmaker who wants to pursue a lifelong dream: becoming a director.

The film pulls back the curtain not only on the creative process, or lack thereof, at The Asylum, but also on what goes into, or does not go into, making a movie. The documentary is frank and at times hilarious. The hilarity stems from the absurdity of the situation: making a movie in six days for peanuts.

There is a learning curve at the heart of this story. We watch as Anthony embarks on what he hopes to be his big break. We see creative meetings and the chaos that ensues—including shooting in Australia, reshoots, and studio notes. At times, the journey is heartbreaking, watching someone try to balance creative ambition with the harsh reality of low-budget filmmaking.

This is not guerrilla filmmaking; it is making a product cheaply and stripping away any creative impulses. There is a tug-of-war between realizing a vision and getting something down on paper. Anthony goes to school in a way, and it is a revealing experience that puts the would-be director under pressure.

He reconciles himself with the fact that he is not making high art or exacting artistic expression. In the course of six days, he hits boot camp in a way, but along the process remembers why he is even doing this in the first place. It’s his passion.

Now, the film he ends up making is a confusing jumble, but that is besides the point. We are not here to debate plot points or continuity errors, though we see those are par for the course when making this type of movie. Instead, what we are here is to see how the sausage is made. Actor Eric Roberts, who appears early in the documentary to share wisdom with Anthony about budgeting for The Asylum, says it best. There is one difference between a B-movie and a major studio one: the size of the budget.

The Asylum can be criticized for producing knock-offs or slop, but the studio has committed itself to making movies that are above all else: entertaining. Anthony comes to embrace this mantra as the documentary shows. This is much less a story about big breaks and more a story of creativity in the most unexpected places.

Creative chaos. Systematic pressures. Rewrites. Actors. It’s all the same, and it is part of the process on any film. Sure, some movies may move more smoothly than others, but the art of filmmaking is not an exact science. Mockbuster, in its brash and cheeky way, showcases the perils of all movie-making and the sweet morsels of victory.

Movies are in the eyes of the beholder, and if anything, this documentary puts an exclamation mark at the end of this sentence: no one sets out to make a bad movie! The process is all the same: hard, trying, and rewarding.

Mockbuster is currently available on Digital platforms courtesy of Miracle Media. 

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