In the ‘70s, The Godfather set the gold standard for movies about organized crime. Audiences couldn’t get enough of them and the fascination has endured. But despite this, an ubiquitous and equally dangerous faction was largely ignored. The Militia sets out to correct this oversight and re-brands that tired old sub-genre: rural gangster films.
THE STORY
The story is set in the Midwest, where Daniel Pierce (Sam Williamson) lives with his parents, Lee (Michael Broderick) and Elinor (Laurel Feierbach). Lee is a die-hard member of the local militia and Daniel is counting the days until he can join himself. His friends are of the same mind and they train constantly to prepare themselves for their ultimate goal.
THE DILEMMA
Lee surprises Daniel by buying him his first gun on his 17th birthday. But on the way home from this momentous occasion, their truck gets pulled over by the sheriff.
What should have been a routine traffic stop, escalates due to Lee’s belligerence. The sheriff, in turn, asserts his authority and decides to search Lee’s truck. Minutes later, Lee is lead away in handcuffs.
And the longer he remains in custody, the more his rap sheet grows.
ENTER THE BAD GUYS
He eventually gets bail and, faced with the loss of his liberty, turns to the militia for help. In true anarchic style, they deliver their own brand of justice and incite an armed insurrection. If you’re self-righteous enough, danger adopts a new meaning.
This film is largely based around the family’s dynamic, which is relatable and realistic. But when it ventures into the militia world, it becomes electrifying.
The folk in this film might fight to keep their faith, family and firearms, but they can also talk sense. The one-note bad guys might look like one-note bad guys, but they never are.
Ideologies are hidden but when the time comes, they act out loud. And when they act, it’s a vicarious moment for the audience; their recklessness is intoxicating.
THE RED HERRINGS
There are many times in this story when the plot seems to be taking a cheesy turn. But then a thread gets pulled and a twist sends the tale reeling. Like when Daniel embroils his friends in a crazy scheme to rescue his father.
It initially feels contrived but then everything gets crazy and the rug is yanked again. It’s satisfying to watch and the reason why we go to the movies.
THE POINT
Another reason we go is to find out what the filmmaker has to say. In Militia, with an ever worsening on-screen crisis, the message is clearly that “crime doesn’t pay.” But, in the final moments, the filmmaker confounds us one last time and whispers … “But does it?”
World Premiere Dances With Films Festival, June 26th, 2025
The Militia Trailer
Written, Directed and Produced by Dylan King Welter.
Production company: King Productions
Executive Producers: Bruno Albuquerque, Cyril Welter & Melissa Welter.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
“The film represents a topic of obsession for me at a moment when our country feels extremely divided and pursuing a path of extreme idealization”, says Welter. “It was less something I wanted to make but something I felt I HAD to make.
“The world seen in The Militia is closer to reality than you might think. In rural America, Daniel and his family live on a farm and commune with other like-minded country folk. Folk who rely on themselves and their tight knit, generations-long friends and family. For them the most important things are Faith, Family and Firearms. They are over worked, underpaid, and they don’t complain. But more than anything, if they trust each other fiercely, their distrust for the government is just as fierce. In order to defend their families from harm, invasion, and tyranny, they have put together a makeshift militia to stand ever ready against all threats foreign and domestic. But as this story progresses, the thing they do not realize is that from another perspective, they are the threat.”
