On a hazy night in December, Brian Deneke jumps out of the bed of a pickup truck. His hair is slicked up in a green mohawk. The makeshift weapon he wields, little more than a padlock on a chain, swings in a lazy circle, cutting the air as it moves on its orbit. On one side, a motley crew of cheerleaders, football players and popular high school jocks; on the other, an angry collection of punks in leather jackets and combat boots. The two groups clash, baseball bats slam into police batons, and chains thud against leather. Out of the cacophony of people, a new threat arises: a popular football player in a Cadillac on a collision course. Brian Deneke, his target, isn’t fast enough to avoid the car. The setting is all too familiar, because it’s all happening in a parking lot in Amarillo. Although based on real-world events, these are happening on screen as part of the new movie by 3rd Identity Films, “Bomb City.”

“Bomb City” follows the life and death of Brian Deneke, a teen living in Amarillo in the late 90’s. The film, based on a true story, transitions between moments from the court case and flashbacks to the weeks and moments leading up to the night of Deneke’s death. “Bomb City” opened to select theaters and the Apple iTunes store Feb. 9.  The advance screening at the Amarillo Globe Center Jan. 23 provided an opportunity to review the film prior to general release.

The casting in the film is done exceptionally well, with Dave Davis executing his role as Deneke perfectly. Despite several of the actors being relatively unknown, there are no weak members of the cast. The film is currently not rated, however it isn’t recommend for the young or easily offended. While the interactions in the film are very realistic, there is a fair share of hard language and alcohol consumption, as well as moments of intense violence.

The movie is highly emotionally charged with moments of soft spoken fragility which contrast sharply with the depictions of violence and the harder aspects of the punk lifestyle. The cinematography only adds to this, with the lighting in the film being done spectacularly.

Overall, the movie reaches an elite technical level. However, during intense moments in the film, a loud vibrating bass tone plays. This creates a perfect atmosphere for those intense scenes, but it can occasionally obscure important dialogue. Whether it was a product of a faulty speaker or other equipment issues, this noise distracted from the impact of those moments.