Review: Grindhouse (2007)

Grindhouse is a double feature film from directors Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Spy Kids) and Quentin Tarrantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1&2) based on the style of films that would play in grindhouses (seedy low cost theaters) and drive-ins until they went out of fashion in the early 1980's. The first feature, Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror, tells the story of a group of people trying to survive in the wake of a biological based terror that turns the living into zombie-like creatures. The second feature, Quentin Tarrantino's Death Proof, tells two parallel stories of groups of four young women each encountering a custom car building man known as Stuntman Mike. Grindhouse also includes four trailors for (then) fake films from Robert Rodriguez, Rob Zombie (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects), Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hott Fuzz), and Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel).

The easiest way to discuss the film is to go in order of occurance on screen.

Machete Trailor: thank goodness Robert Rodriguez is actually making this twisted revenge film, since Machete's trailor is one of the greatest ever made. A Mexican day laborer, nicknamed machete, is hired to execute a high power assasination, only he has been set up by enemies and almost loses his life. He swears revenge on all those who betrayed him. Wonderful way to start the film.

Planet Terror: sick, twisted, over the top zombie-esque fun (though the creatures aren't zombies). Rose McGowan is phenomenal as Cherry, a stripper who wants nothing more than to be a stand-up comedian, even though she isn't very funny. Cherry and other citizens of Texas band together in an effort to save their lives against flesh hungry humans covered in disusting boils and wounds that ooze green slime. As disgusting and horrific as it is, this is one of the most effective comedy films I have seen and perfectly captures that late 1970's early 1980's splatterfest vibe while updating it to relevancy in 2007. Kudos, Mr. Rodriguez. All is forgiven for The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D.

More Trailors:

Werewolf Women of the S.S.: If you know anything about Nazi-sploitation films, then you realize that Rob Zombie nailed the over the top cheese and sex factor of these films with his hillarious take on the sub genre. My favorite of the fake trailors.

Don't: Simon Pegg is a genius. Don't is a perfect spoof of the hard hitting advertising for 1970's British Gothic Horror films that wind up coming off as comedies rather than horror films. This would legitimately be a very disturbing horror film.

Thanksgiving: Eli Roth's slasher film trailor, and I wasn't that impressed. It was just as misogynistic as all his other work combined and seemed like a pointless slasher. Perfect score for nailing the 1980's horror film, poor score for taste (surprise!).

Death Proof: Wow. This was incredible. Slow and deliberate, the story follows two groups of young women who face the misfortune of going one on one with an amazing Kurt Russel as Stuntman Mike. Rose McGowan once again impresses here, but the film is stolen by stunt woman Zoe Bell playing herself on screen. An effortless performance that requires a whole lot more effort than you would imagine for one of the greatest stunt sequences ever.

Grindhouse isn't exactly going to be walking away with any Academy Awards (though the argument could easily be made for make-up, and when the Weinsteins release Planet Terror and Death Proof as seperate full length feature films later this year, Death Proof could conceivably be a contender for original screenplay), but it is so much fun. See it for the experience before the Weinstein's hack it apart and put it back together as seperate features. The experience is more than worth the 3+ hour running time.