One thing you can say about “Massacre Mafia Style,” Duke Mitchell’s shameless attempt to cash in on “The Godfather,” is that it’s never boring. Even when it’s brutally silly it really is also a compelling bit of exploitation that tries desperately to out Godfather “The Godfather.” It does so to the point where the film’s anti-hero bawls about the end of the Italian crime organization and hints at “The Godfather” as a goofy portrayal of the Italian crime legacy in tears. It’s a valiant attempt to set itself apart, but it surely won’t be confused for the aforementioned crime drama any time soon.
Duke Mitchell gives an odd performance as aspiring crime boss Mimi Miceli, who wants to garner approval by his ex crime boss father by becoming a crime boss in his own right. Leaving behind his young son in Sicily, the widowed Mimi enters the streets of Los Angeles and ropes in his old friend Jolly for his impending operation. He intends to strong arm every crime ring in the city, from the African American pimps, the “Sons of Sicily Defense League,” and he does so with a little manipulation and a ton of gun fire.
“Massacre Mafia Style” doesn’t revolve around a lot of story and complex characters, as Duke Mitchell paints Mimi as something of a lunk head who manages to get by on luck and quick gun fire. Half the time Mitchell looks confused on screen, and even seems to be reading from a script when delivering long monologues. Much of “Massacre Mafia Style” is based solely around the ironic climax that’s foreshadowed clumsily in the opening scenes. Mimi explains that crime is a vicious circle where the sons inherit the sins of the father, surely enough we know what will happen by the time the film comes to a close. That said, “Massacre Mafia Style” is charming in its obviously low budget, and poor production qualities.
There’s also the narrative that seems to be rides the line of predictable and completely surreal erratically, leaving the audience guessing. An African American pimp is crucified, there’s an abrupt appearance of a Japanese body guard who can smash tables with his fists, and of course the bread gag that always ensures a surprise. “Massacre Mafia Style” is a silly and entertaining attempt to bank on “The Godfather.” While it’s not in the same arena of quality and depth, Duke Mitchell’s exploitation classic oddly enough stands alone as an outside the box, demented parade of mafia violence, and desperate attempts at irony.