“The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker” (2023) / Z-View

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker (2023)

Director:  Colette Camden

Writer:  Colette Camden

Stars:  Kai Lawrence, Jessob Reisbeck  

Tagline:  None

The Plot…

In 2013, an interview with Caleb Lawrence McGillvary. who called himself Kai, went viral. A reporter had interviewed Kai after he stopped a man from attacking a woman.

Kai had been hitchhiking.  When Jett McBride suddenly drove into a pedestrian pinning him to another vehicle, a passing woman came to the man’s aide. McBride attacked her.  Kai, sensing the woman would be killed, grabbed a hatchet from his backpack.  Kai repeatedly struck the man in the back of the head, incapacitating him.  The police arrived and took McBride into custody.  They questioned and released Kai.

A reporter interviewed Kai at the scene.  When the interview aired Kai came off as a free-spirited hero. The interview was placed on Youtube.  It received millions of views. Suddenly everyone wanted a piece of Kai.  He was on Inside Edition and Jimmy Kimmel Live.  On the surface, Kai appeared to be a fun-loving nonconformist. He didn’t have a job, a driver’s license or a social security number.  Kai didn’t consider himself homeless, he referred to his situation as homefree.  Kai’s appearances were off-the-wall and funny.  But beneath the surface of Kai’s easy-going exterior lurked a killer…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

At first glance Kai seemed to be harmless.  A modern day hippie just getting by and having fun.  Yet anyone who spent a little time with Kai would realize his mental issues.  But who would think that Kai would be a cold-blooded murderer?

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker earns 4 of 5 stars.