Amidst a surge of antisemitic terrorist acts plaguing the United States—where last month witnessed the tragic shooting of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington D.C. and a harrowing incident in Colorado where a man, armed with a homemade flamethrower, inflicted severe burns on 15 Jews—a controversial new thriller, "Guns & Moses," emerges, stirring the pot. The film portrays a harrowing scenario where American Jews take up arms in a desperate fightback.
Despite its tongue-in-cheek title, the exclusive trailer, premiered with The Hollywood Reporter, unveils a grim and violent tale of retribution, guaranteed to incense critics of Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a conflict ignited by the October 7, 2023, Hamas ambush that claimed the lives of 1,200 Israeli civilians. Israel's recent strikes on Iran and the looming specter of U.S. involvement in the turmoil only fuel the controversy further.
"This film transcends storytelling—it's a discourse we urgently need to engage in," remarks "Guns & Moses" director Salvador Litvak in a statement. "Each moment on set bore the heavy burden of real lives hanging in the balance. Jews are under siege. Our pledge of 'never again' demands that we rise up and defend ourselves. And we're fortunate to have allies in this struggle. As we gear up for the release, we're not merely presenting a movie; we're inviting viewers into a movement advocating for security, camaraderie, and responsibility with firearms."
Scheduled for an exclusive theatrical release on July 18, the thriller boasts a star-studded cast comprising seasoned actors Mark Feuerstein, 54, Neal McDonough, 59, Dermot Mulroney, 61, and Christopher Lloyd, 86.
Feuerstein stars as Moses Zaltzman, a beloved Hasidic rabbi serving the small Jewish community in a desolate desert town. The screenplay draws inspiration from a real-life incident in 2019 at Chabad of Poway, an Orthodox synagogue in Poway, California, where a 19-year-old gunman opened fire on the final day of Passover, resulting in the death of a 60-year-old woman and wounding three others.
"When his congregation falls victim to a violent attack, police swiftly apprehend a young white nationalist who had previously threatened them, but Rabbi Mo suspects the troubled youth might be innocent," according to the synopsis. "With no one else willing to delve deeper, Rabbi Mo transforms into a detective. As bodies mount, he must master the art of gunmanship to confront the genuine adversary."
Beneath the Charles Bronson-meets-Yeshiva vibe of the trailer lies a narrative potentially deeper than producers let on. "The film's core revolves around an unanticipated bond between the rabbi and an antisemite," the synopsis teases.
