Director: Bobb Hopkins

Cast: Ernest Borgnine, W.M. Comartin, Bobb Hopkins

Synopsis: An irresponsible rich kid must find the killer of his parents before he is arrested for the crime.

The only recognisable name in this ultra-cheap independent production is Ernest Borgnine (The Bounty Hunter, Vera Cruz) whose screen time amounts to roughly ninety seconds. The rest of the time we’re in the company of spoiled rich brat Preston West (Rob Spediacci) who’s on the run after a hobo kills his mother and stepfather in the hot tub. West tracks down the Uncle he’s never known (the film’s writer and director, Bobb Hopkins) who used to ride the trains in the hope that he might be able to help him track down the killer before the cops track him down. In fact, Uncle Brad is still running with a bunch of the unlikeliest hobos you’re ever likely to stumble across. Every now and then, these guys like to scrub up and hit the bars to pull fit young women, and one of them must weigh about seventeen stone. Rail Kings looks ok – although there are only so many lingering shots of freight trains we can take before boredom sets in – but it falls apart whenever anyone opens their mouth to say something. Poor acting, poor sound, poor movie.

(Reviewed 2nd November 2014)