Champagne and Bullets

"Road to Revenge" redirects here. For the upcoming sequel of Sisu, see Sisu: Road to Revenge.

Champagne and Bullets (also known as Road to Revenge and GetEven) is an independent 1993 action movie, starring, written, and directed by John De Hart. Described as a vanity project, Champagne and Bullets has become a cult movie due to De Hart's amateur and "inexplicable"^[1] performance. Contemporary reviewers have celebrated the film as a "classic"^[2] B-movie.

Champagne and Bullets
Case art from the Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray release
Directed by	John De Hart
Written by	John De Hart
Produced by	John De Hart
Starring	John De Hart Wings Hauser Pamela Bryant
Release date	1993 (1993)
Running time	99 minutes (Champagne and Bullets cut)
Country	United States
Language	English

History

According to Vinegar Syndrome, the film was originally edited as Champagne and Bullets in 16 mm but never commercially released. The film was re-edited several times and released as Road to Revenge and GetEven. The latter title is arguably the most well-known, as the GetEven cut is described as "notorious"^[3] by Vinegar Syndrome and has been discussed by genre film programs such as Red Letter Media.^[4]

The first video version is 10 minutes shorter than the original film, while the 2007 version was also substantially edited and augmented with erotic scenes (although several depictions of sexual assaults were removed) among other things.^[5]

Plot

In Southern California, Rick Bode, a former cop, tries to rebuild his life after being forced off the police force by his corrupt superior, Normad. His one-time partner Huck Finney still harbors resentment, their friendship hanging by a thread after both men lost their badges, and his life has fallen apart — bitter, unstable, and drowning in alcohol after the brutal murder of his wife.

At a bar one evening, Rick takes the stage with his guitar and belts out his country ballad, “Shimmy Slide.” His performance draws laughs and heckles from Huck, who is already half in the bag, but Rick keeps singing, showing he’s determined to move on. Among the crowd is Cindy, a woman trying to escape her troubled past. After the show, Rick and Cindy talk, and a spark of romance begins.

Meanwhile, Normad’s transformation is revealed. No longer just a corrupt cop, he has ascended to even greater influence. By day, he has been appointed as a judge, cloaked in the authority of the law. By night, he presides over a satanic cult, leading blood rituals. In a candle-lit warehouse, he presides over a cult ritual. Hooded followers chant as Normad, flanked by his mistress — a sultry, manipulative woman who never leaves his side — leads the ceremony. The ritual ends in violence as a woman is sacrificed, establishing Normad as both criminal kingpin and cult leader. His mistress eggs him on, embodying his corruption and reveling in his cruelty. It is revealed that the brutal murder of Huck's wife was by Normad’s cult. The trauma has left Huck consumed by grief and resentment, both toward Normad and toward Rick for moving on without him.

Rick and Charlotte’s relationship blossoms. They spend time riding horseback, going on quiet outings, and trying to put their past struggles behind them. Charlotte confides about her history of abuse and exploitation, while Rick comforts her, promising that she’s safe with him. Their bond deepens until Rick proposes marriage, and the two wed in a modest ceremony.

But Rick’s peace doesn’t last. He starts noticing Normad’s reach everywhere — men tailing his car, strangers watching Cindy. When Cindy is attacked one night by Normad’s thugs, Rick is forced into a street fight to protect her. Though he fends them off, the attack makes it clear that Normad won’t stop until Rick is destroyed.

Rick turns to Huck for help, but Huck, angry and drowning in alcohol, refuses. Their arguments leave their friendship shattered, with Huck telling Rick he’s insane to take on Normad again. Rick pushes forward alone, though the strain shows.

Not long after, Rick finds himself in court. Normad’s influence has dragged him into legal trouble, and Cindy is called to the stand. Under questioning, she reveals painful details about her abusive past, only to have her words twisted to make her look unstable. The attack on her character rattles her deeply. Then Normad’s mistress takes the stand. Cool and confident, she testifies in a way that bolsters Normad’s claims and paints Rick as reckless and untrustworthy. The trial makes one thing clear: Normad has corrupted the very system meant to deliver justice. Rick leaves furious, Cindy humiliated, and the legal route to defeating Normad closed off for good.

Normad escalates his campaign. His cult conducts fresh rituals, his men vandalize Rick’s home, and Cindy is left terrified. Rick decides there is no turning back — Normad must be confronted directly. Huck, seeing how far Rick is willing to go, finally shakes himself sober. Though battered by regret and alcohol, he shows up on Rick’s doorstep, choosing loyalty over bitterness, ready to join the fight. The final showdown comes at Normad’s lair. Rick and Huck storm the hideout in a blaze of gunfire, cutting through cultists as chaos erupts. Huck is wounded in the fight but refuses to back down, covering Rick as he pushes deeper into the compound. At last, Rick confronts Normad. Years of betrayal spill out as the two clash in a violent exchange of fists and bullets. Rick prevails, killing Normad and ending his reign of terror once and for all.

The final showdown comes at Normad’s lair. Rick and Huck storm the compound, exchanging gunfire with cultists. Chaos erupts as the mistress watches from the shadows, still loyal to Normad. Huck is shot but keeps fighting, covering Rick as he pushes deeper inside. At last, Rick confronts Normad himself. Years of betrayal, corruption, and bloodshed come to a head in a vicious battle of fists and bullets. Rick kills Normad, ending his reign of terror once and for all.

With Normad dead, the cult collapses. His mistress flees into the night, powerless without him. Rick finds Cindy and embraces her, relieved that the nightmare is over. Huck, bloodied but alive, finally makes peace, his wife’s murder avenged. As Rick and Cindy drive away, they look ahead to a future free from Normad’s corruption, while Huck at last finds a measure of redemption.

Cast

• John De Hart as Rick Bode
• Pamela Bryant as Cindy
• Wings Hauser as Huck
• William Smith as Normad, the cult leader
• Al Sapienza as drug smuggler

Reception

Horror Society said, "What makes this one so much fun is how bad and awkward it is to watch. Overall, Champagne and Bullets is The Room of direct to video action flicks. It’s one of the strangest yet wildest movies I had ever seen yet I couldn’t stop watching"^[6]

Writing for Blu-ray.com, Brian Orndorf states that the film "is lunacy when it isn't incredibly boring and indulgent, quickly ascending to Bad Movie Night heaven."^[7]

The B-movie website Nanarland places the film among the most notable vanity projects in the film industry.^[5]

After Wings Hauser's death in 2025, MovieWeb wrote that Champagne and Bullets was "one of the most unhinged performances of his entire career," and that he delivered memorable performances in even low-budget or "Z-grade" movies.^[8]

The podcast "How Did This Get Made" featured the movie, with all three titles included, on their 21 August 25 show. Describing the movie, "If you love The Room, Samurai Cop, & Birdemic, then you won’t want to miss the 1993 self-funded indie action-drama Champagne & Bullets (aka GetEven aka Road to Revenge)"^[9]