Vague Visages’ Vulcanizadora review contains minor spoilers. Joel Potrykus’ 2024 movie features himself, Joshua Burge and Solo Potrykus. Check out the VV home page for more film criticism, movie reviews and film essays.

In 2016, Vague Visages writer Justine Peres Smith associated Joel Potrykus, a Michigan-based indie filmmaker, with “an emerging genre of metal slackerism.” Nearly 10 years later, the director has since released only two feature films, with his latest existing as a spiritual sequel to his sophomore production, Buzzard (2014). Critics have already praised the 85-minute dark comedy on the festival circuit, and the hype is indeed real, as Vulcanizador subtly and superbly breaks down the mindsets of two adult slackers who can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, primarily because of their questionable life decisions and refusal to accept accountability for their actions.

Potrykus reprises his Buzzard role in Vulcanizador as Derek, a manchild/mortgage temp whose behavior mirrors that of Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) in the modern comedy classic Step Brothers (2008). The director’s longtime collaborator Joshua Burge (Pratfall) also reprises his role as Marty, a metalhead with a history of criminal behavior. Vulcanizadora opens with a brilliant sequence, scored by heavy metal music, in which the protagonists walk side-by-side in a Michigan forest, presumably the same one that figuratively consumes Ty Hickson’s Sean in Potrykus’ 2016 feature (arguably his best) The Alchemist Cookbook. This time around, Derek and Marty seemingly have a clear plan, though they’re rather cryptic about their execution. And the personality dynamics have clearly changed since Buzzard, as Marty seems to be more in touch with reality, even though Derek remains aloof and unwilling to accept the unfortunate facts about his life. Then, midway through Vulcanizadora, Potrykus reveals that his character hasn’t taken prescribed meds in a week, and that Marty appears to be suicidal after accepting responsibility for an arson attack on a tire tore (the titular “vulcanizadora”), which makes the sudden appearance of two head contraptions and two fuses especially disturbing.

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Potrykus makes a major directorial leap with Vulcanizadora, perhaps one that reflects his evolution as a human being. The Midwest director stays true to the personalities of both Marty and Derek, though he doesn’t double down with all their slacker tendencies, at least not with Burge’s character. Since the events of Buzzard, Marty now seems like a real human, rather than the archetypal Metal Head Stoner who lacks self-awareness and an understanding of society in general. Burge somehow makes his character a sympathetic figure, as Marty repeatedly states that he is “guilty” and seems ready to die. And this is where Vulcanizadora may polarize general viewers with its tone, as Derek provides loads of comedy (shout-out to Potrykus for a Temple of the Dog reference) but seems purely vulnerable after abandoning his medication for a very specific reason (no spoilers). Not many indie filmmakers can smoothly balance dark comedy with heavy drama — it’s a difficult challenge, especially when withholding crucial information from the audience and not expecting them to already be familiar with the character backstories from Buzzard.

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There’s something comforting about the Michigan woods in Vulcanizadora. For many, the outdoors represent the great unknown. But for native Midwesterners (like myself), the woods and lake countries of the Upper Midwest offer peace of mind and a spiritual cleansing. And this is what Derek and Marty chase in Vulcanizadora after a series of life setbacks and personal failures. Potrykus carefully expands his character development, positioning Derek as a mentally unstable man who can’t accept fatherhood (he now has an estranged five-year-old son) and Marty as a deeply depressed person who just can’t imagine a brighter tomorrow. And so while all the comedic banter translates to popcorn entertainment, Potrykus cuts to the bone when shit gets real and the protagonists accept the present moment. Vulcanizadora’s final act marks a significant moment for not only Burge, an actor who will inevitably move beyond “Oh, That Guy” status into a proper star, but also for Potrykus as a writer-director. The indie filmmaking duo collectively goes far beyond easy laughs for an emotionally impactful commentary about maturity, accountability and friendship.

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Cinematographer Adam J. Minnick elevates Vulcanizadora’s most dramatic sequences via glorious 16mm film stock. Landscape shots underline the protagonists’ geographic isolation and emotional loneliness, while stunning medium visuals escalate the drama in the same way handheld camera footage boosts the tension in The Blair Witch Project (1999). And it’s frequently difficult to interpret Derek and Marty’s motivations. Could one of them be a killer? Or will Potrykus flip the script on his character and turn him into a villain? All bets are off up until the final act.

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Potrykus purposely made Vulcanizadora as a stand-alone film, one that doesn’t require a prior viewing of Buzzard. But some context does indeed help given the psychology of Derek and Marty and what they hope to achieve by venturing off into the Michigan woods while discussing the cult classic Faces of Death (1978). They exist in their own world,  yes, but their perspectives correlate with pre-COVID culture and even pre-internet culture. Like so many physical media fans, Derek and Marty just can’t fathom a world in which their pop culture nostalgia and fandom won’t resonate with people their own age or younger. And so rather than choosing to accept change, they flee to a place of comfort, where they can remember the good ol’ days and stay forever young. But what happens when your personal life implodes and forces you to consider the well-being of others? Vulcanizadora is an astonishing coming-of-age tale for adults-in-crisis.

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor. Thank you for reading film criticism, movie reviews and film essays at Vague Visages.

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