WFG RATING: B+

Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment presents a Millman Productions film in association with Proportion Entertainment and Titan Global Entertainment. Directed, produced, and edited by Scott Chambers and Becca Hirani (as Scott Jeffrey and Rebecca Matthews). Written by Ben Demaree; story by Jeff Miller. Cinematography by Ben Collin.

Stars Robert Bronzi, Gary Daniels, Nicola Wright, Jake Watkins, Sarah T. Cohen, Richard Kovacs, Ben Calloway, Arthur Boan, AJ Blackwell, Corinne Holt, and Kate Sandison. 

Robert Bronzi, the man of Bronsploitation, takes on home invaders in this British action thriller co-directed by the WorldFilmGeek Breakout Star of 2024, Scott Chambers. 

Peter Juhasz, a former Hungarian soldier, has quietly retired from his war days by working as a gardener for the Henderson family in the British countryside. He doesn’t involve himself in the trouble that’s been brewing between husband Stephen and wife Lauren. However, he does get along well with son Justin. As a matter of fact, he teaches Justin his way of gardening and Justin has nothing but appreciation for Peter. However, one night is set to change everyone’s life.

A group of home invaders arrive on the property to find a hard drive belonging to Stephen. They were told by their boss, Volker, that the family was supposed to be out for the night. However, daughter Hannah isn’t home and Lauren, having had enough of Stephen’s antics, wants a divorce. When the invaders arrive, they go with plan B and kidnap the family. When their maid returns to the house, she is shot dead by one of them and it grabs Peter’s attention. Learning what has happened, he decides to use his skills to protect the family at any cost. 

He’s known today as the co-creator of the Twisted Childhood Universe, but Scott Chambers, using the pseudonym “Scott Jeffrey” had a frequent collaborator in Becca “Rebecca Matthews” Hirani in bringing the goodness of classic B-exploitation films to their native UK. This came at a time where the land once known for banning “video nasties” have finally ended those bans and filmmakers were free to unleash the mayhem they so desired. Chambers and Hirani focused mostly on horror but here, they go full blooded action to help continue the trend of Bronsploitation.

Robert Bronzi once again shines as the man behind the new “imitation is the best flattery” trend. Here, he plays Hungarian ex-military turned quiet gardener Peter. He keeps to himself mostly except when it comes to his relationship with Justin, played by Jake Watkins. Justin sees Peter as a better father figure than his actual father, Richard Kovacs’ Stephen, who sits there on his computer or arguing with his wife Lauren, played by Nicola Wright, the TCU’s Mrs. Darling. 

Volker, the boss of the invaders, is played by the one and only Gary Daniels. Daniels is excellent as a mastermind villain who only needs to show his skills at the most necessary moments. What’s interesting here is that we get to see some highlight fight clips with Bronzi utilizing boxing skills and close combat against the likes of actors/stunt performers AJ Blackwell and Corinne Holt, who play invaders Ken and Mischa. While Jon Callaway’s Drake is the leader of the operation in place of Volker, the stupidity of Arthur Boan’s Riley is the triggering effect for what happens next.

Michael Hoad serves as the film’s stunt coordinator and does quite an impressive job of utilizing the skills of Bronzi, Daniels, and the aforementioned Blackwell and Holt. Some of the violence seen has that Jeffreys-Matthews horror effect when needed. The finale brings in quite a surprise in terms of twists and action. Altogether, a pretty good Bronsploitation film.

The Gardener is another notch in the belt of Bronsploitation and Robert Bronzi once again is great and Gary Daniels continues to show why he can make a good villain when it calls for it. Some pretty good action scenes for what they have as well. Definitely one to check out.